Deep ruby color; black plum, sour cherry, bell pepper, black raspberry, blackberry, blackcurrant, black pepper, coffee, chocolate on the nose and palate.
Dry; smooth tannins; firm, balancing acidity (3.42 pH). Soft, approachable. Dark wine, dark fruit flavors. Pure carménère play. Grapes come from the San Bernardo estate in the Maipo Valley. This traditional Chilean wine region enjoys a temperate Mediterranean climate with dry, hot summers and winter rainfall. It may produce the highest quality carménère in the world. Certainly, Chile produces, by far, the most carménère in the world. 13.5% ABV
The carmeenère grape originally grew in the Médoc region of Bordeaux, France, principally as a pairing wine similar to petit verdot. While seemingly extinct in Europe after the 19th century phylloxera plague, it was rediscovered in Chile in 1994, where it had been mistaken for merlot. While similar, carménère typically has stronger vegetable notes, higher acidity, and slightly more assertive tannins.
Founded in 1996, the Morandé Wine Group mission is to produce quality wines and explore the boundaries of innovation. The group notes: “The aim of our line wines is to express the virtues of the vineyard from which the grapes come with the least possible interference in the winemaking. We have achieved this thanks to the meticulous work carried out in our vineyards, where the key factor was the decision to plant each variety in its most appropriate place, bearing in mind the characteristics of the climate and soil.
“Another key factor is the differentiation of the micro-terroirs that exist within each vineyard, so that we can carry out specific vine-growing work in such as way as to obtain high-quality grapes. As a result, our wines are characterized by great balance in all aspects, plus an important structure in accordance with each variety, soil and climate in the vineyard. What we are searching for in each of our lines are harmonious, genuine wines that are an excellent representation of their type.”
Morandé Vitis Única Carménère, Valle del Maipo, Chile 2021 is superb pure carménère effort that punches well above its weight. Carménère compares closely with merlot, with a bit more dark fruit attitude. The Maipo Valley may produce the world’s best carménère. This is good entry-level introduction to what has become Chile’s signature grape. Pair with lamb; beef—grilled, roasted, smoked, beef stew; pasta dishes with meat and tomato sauces; pork—baby back ribs, sausage, barbecue, smoked bacon; chicken—grilled, roasted, barbecued; dark meat turkey; chicken mole; grilled vegetables—bell pepper, zucchini, eggplant, portobello mushrooms; Indian curry dishes and spicy dishes in general; chocolate. Cheese—hard cheeses; aged gouda, comté, pecorino, aged cheddar, pepper jack, feta. $12