Carmenere - please recommend!

Carmenere comes mostly from Chile... (sometiemes labeled as merlot)

There are some great examples on its own, but I personally find it best when mixed with a bit of Cabernet, and sometimes Merlot.

Top of the line is Casa Lapostolle, Clos Apalta (>US$60) which is Carmenere with Merlot and Cabernet. Another really good is Concha y Toro Terrunyo Carmenere... excellent. My favorite "everyday" (not sure it's available in the states) is Carmen, Caremener-Cabernet Sauvignon 2001.

One warning, carmenere is really tough to get right, so usually the cheap stuff is real bad (i.e. usually unripe, green aromas). But the good stuff is glorious.

Also, if you can get a hold of Santa Inés de Martino Reserve 2003... get it... excellent. Really anything from Isla de Maipo (a region of Valle del Maipo) is sure to be ripe enough.

In general, in Chile odd-year vintages (1999,2001,2003) have been better than even ones (1998,2000,2002).

-Indirecto

Would anybody like to choose some good ones from this list?

Anakena Carmenere Chile 2002 Anakena SPECIAL RESERVE Carmenere Chile 2002 Anakena SPECIAL RESERVE Carmenere Chile 2003 Apaltagua Carmenere Apalta 2000 Aresti Family Vineyards FAMILY COLLECTION Carmenere Rio Claro Chile 2001 Aresti Family Vineyards MONTEMAR Carmenere Curico Valley 2002 Aromo Carmenere Reservado Maule Valley 2000 Baron Philippe de Rothschild Reserva Rapel Valley Carmenere Price: $10

2002 Ca'del Bosco CARMENERO Franciacorta Lombardy 1998 Ca'del Bosco CARMENERO Franciacorta Lombardy 2000 Calina Reserve Maule Valley Carmenere Price: $8 2002 Caliterra ARBOLEDA Carmenere Colchagua Valley 2001 Caliterra Carmenere Colchagua Valley 2002 Caliterra Carmenere Colchagua Valley 2003 Carmen Cabernet Sauvignon Carmenere 2002 Casa Donoso Maule Valley Carmenere 2001 Casa Donoso Maule Valley Carmenere 2003 Casa Lapostolle CLOS ALPALTA (Carmenere/Merlot/Cab Sauv/Malbec) Colchagua 2000 Casa Lapostolle CLOS ALPALTA (Carmenere/Merlot/Cab Sauv/Malbec) Colchagua 2001 Concha y Toro Casillero del DiabloRapel Valley Carmenere Price: $10 2002 Concha y Toro Terrunyo Carmenere Puente Alta Rapel Valley - 1999 1999 Concha y Toro Terrunyo Peumo Vnyd Rapel Valley Carmenere Price: $29 2001 Echeverria Carmenere Curico Valley 2003 El Otro POTRERO GRANDE Carmenere Reserve (single vineyard) Maule Valley 2001 El Otro POTRERO GRANDE Carmenere Reserve (single vineyard) Maule Valley 2003 Errazuriz Estate Carmenere Aconcagua Valley 2002 Errazuriz Estate Carmenere Aconcagua Valley 2003 Errazuriz MAX 11 VINEYARD Carmenere (Single Vineyard-Don Maximiano Estate) Aconcagua Valley 2001 J. Bouchon Carmenere RESERVA ESPECIAL Maule Valley 2002 La Mision Carmenere, Colchagua Year 2000 £ 6.99 Fareham winecellar 2000 La Mision del Clarillo Carmenere GRAN CUVEE Maipo Valley 2000 La Mision del Clarillo Carmenere GRAN CUVEE Maipo Valley 2001 La Playa Estate Reserve Colchagua Valley Carmenere Price: $10 2001 Santa Ema Rapel Valley Carmenere Price: $11 2001 Santa Ema Reserve Rapel Valley Carmenere Price: $17 Panel Favourite 2001 Santa Rita GRAN HACIENDA Carmenere Rapel Valley 2002 Santa Rita GRAN HACIENDA Carmenere Sangiovese Rapel Valley 2003 Santa Rita RESERVA Carmenere Rapel Valley 2001 Santa Rita RESERVA Carmenere Rapel Valley 2002 Tarapaca Maipo Valley Carmenere Price: $8 Panel Favourite 2002 Trincao Maipo Valley Reserva Carmenere 2002 $7.99 2002 Veramonte PRIMUS Casablanca Valley 2000 Villarrica Carmenere Colchagua Valley 2001 Villarrica Carmenere Colchagua Valley 2003 Vina MontGras Carmenere RESERVA Colchagua Valley - 2001 2001 Vina MontGras QUATRO RESERVA 22% Cab.Sauvignon, 30% Carmenere, 28% Merlot 20% Malbec 2003 Vina MontGras QUATRO RESERVA Colchagua Valley 2002 Vina Ventisquero VENTISQUERO RESERVE Carmenere Maipo Valley 2002 Vina Ventisquero YALI Reserve Carmenere Maipo Valley 2002 Vinedos Sutil Carmenere Colchagua Valley 2002 Vistamar GRAND RESERVE Carmenere Maipo Valley 2002 Vistamar GRAND RESERVE Carmenere Maipo Valley 2003 Vistamar WINEMAKERS SELECTION Carmenere Central Valley Chile - 2002 2002

=== Andy Evans ==Visit our Website:-

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Your in UK, right? The Midlands Co-op, and, presumably, other regions, do a "Fairtrade" own-label Carmenere which is a jolly good fiver's worth. I've had one tainted bottle, which was exchanged without question, and the rest have been superb. Good for the conscience, too.

Regards,

Ian

Hello Ian - I'm in Kensington, London. Don't know my nearest co-op. Oddbins have very little, Tesco at least one, Safeway none I can see. I'll have to try M&S, Sainsbury and Waitrose. There are various mail order firms in the UK, none of which I know. I actually drink very little - a couple of glasses a day max. So it's nice to have quality rather than quantity. A bottle lasts three days or more. I've been looking on the internet and I really need some ratings - Wine Spectator have some. where else can I look for guidance, and which are some good wine traders in the UK with good stocks of this kind of stuff and decent prices?

=== Andy Evans ==Visit our Website:-

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What's your budget?

-Indirecto

I haven't had this wine, but I have had some good stuff from the supplier (Laithwaites) and the producer (Donoso), so it may be worth a try.

Ian

Does this wine have to be drunk straight out of the bottle? If it's left to "chambrer" it seems to get worse. Just curious. Drinking some Luis Felipe Edwards Carmenere Colchagua 2002, and I seem to think it was better right out of the bottle. It's not a great wine - frustrating to get a carmenere that is not quite totally convincing - it seems to have so much potential. Andy

=== Andy Evans ==Visit our Website:-

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If you mean decanting, no it isn't necessary. But good carmenere doesn't "fade" like the one you've experienced.

Yeah, there's a lot of bad carmenere out there. Seems you got one of those.

Avoid uneven years (i.e. 2002). They were rainy, usualy picked before it's fully ripe.

But don't give up. A good carmenere will surely reward your patience.

-Indirecto

Waitrose also has the fair trade Carmenere (it is from Traidcraft). And I agree with the recommendation.

Sheila Page

In article , Andy Evans writes

I bet that in blind tastings you (and I and everybody else) can't tell Chilean Carmenere from Merlot.

Somehow I am getting the feeling that Carmenere just happens to fit neatly into the Chilean wine industry's marketing plans.

Just like Argentina is associated with Malbec, Australia with Syrah, New Zealand with Sauvignon Blanc, California with Zinfandel and Uruguay with Tannat, it looks like Chile has designated Carmenere as its signature grape--and then proceeded to market the hell out of it.

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I bet I can.

Of course, I sometimes confuse some cabernet with merlot, so 100% accuracy may not be expected. But try some chilean "merlot" and you can definitely tell there's much carmenere in them. They're really different grapes and turn out different wine.

Neatly? It was almost a disaster. Imagine someone telling you the merlot you've been selling for years is not really merlot. Doh!!!!

And let's not forget that Chile (still) doesn't have any "wine industry marketing plan" to speak of... just getting them to agree to put the world "Chile" in the label has been like pulling teeth.

Just think that Chile's best wine made (mostly) of carmenere doesn't even state it on the label. (Clos Apalta). Marketing? Hmmm....

Chile has "designated" nothing. They're still struggling to find an image of their own. I bet, for example, chilean syrah does better around the world than carmenere. And don't forget the new sauvignon blancs. And, of course, Chile's top grape is still Cabernet Sauvignon.

Chilean wineries WISH they knew carmenere well enough to make it it's signature grape. But the reality may be far from it.

But you really can't blame them for trying, could you.

And by the way, a good carmenere is really awesome.

-Indirecto