Arauco Carmenère DO Central Valley 2009

Bought at the MITRA for €4,99 alcoholpercentage is 13,5%. The grape variety carmenère originated from the Médoc area in Bordeaux, France. Just before the all devastating phylloxera roamed around Europe and also annihilated this kind, it got imported in Chile. For a hundred years no one thought there to be any left in the world. The wines which then came from Chile thought to be all merlot, including by the Chileans themselves, tasted sour. A French oenologist went to Chile and discovered that carmenère and merlot grapes were planted together in the vineyards, harvested together and made into wine together, believing it was all merlot. The Chileans were shocked at first, then seperated the grapes, and ever since Chile is the only country where this grape variety grows in large numbers. Now they are really proud that it is considered Chile's national grape. The wine I'm drinking has a beautiful rubyred colour and smells at first like laurel. It also remotely smells like a pinotage wine. I sense some spiciness and some black pepper. This all comes back in the taste along with some red berries. Its bitterness is quite high, but it's low on tannins. It's fresh, it's fruity, it's juicy, it's rich. Almost like a meal wine, but then literally. Drink this wine and you will get the feeling of tasting a complete meal. Well, potatoes and meat excluded, but the vegetables, herbs and fruit are all in there. Very tasty!