Lizzy Freed
Every bottle of wine tells a story. It’s amazing to think that each one is unique, emitting its own experience and flavor. Though subtle, these differences form a special relationship between wine and drinker.
Wine has a rich history that goes as deep as its flavor. We all have a favorite wine (or three) for different reasons. I would like to introduce a close friend of mine, who goes by the name of Carménère. Although it is not my favorite wine to drink (though close), I do find it to have the most interesting history.
I won’t dive too far into the past, because it is a topic worthy of many more words, but let’s begin with the onset of the phylloxera louse, which devastated the vineyards of Europe in the 1870s. This nasty creature was inadvertently taken from America to Europe on the grape vines for experimental purposes: Europeans wanted to see if these American vines would flourish in their soil. Unbeknownst to them, the American vines were immune to this louse—European vines were not. Such is life! But, as my mother always says: when the going gets tough, the tough gets going! And that they did. Botanists discovered that they could take the European varietals (Vitis vinifera) and grow them on top of the American rootstock.
In all of this madness, this disaster, many vines and livelihoods were lost. Most varietals were saved, but some, including Carménère, were thought to be extinct.
Meanwhile, the wine industry was beginning to boom. Globalization, which hurt many during this period, was helping to spread the allure of viticulture.
Our South American gem this evening, Chile, has a thrilling wine history. Its shining glory is Carménère. Presumed gone forever by horticulturists around the globe, the wine world was shocked by a discovery made by French botanist Jean-Michel Boursiquot: Carménère was alive. The leaf shape is extremely similar to that of a Merlot plant, and so they had understandably misidentified it for years. The Chilean growers had unknowingly been aiding in the reunion of this special grape with the world.
Chile is a very isolated country, with the Pacific Ocean on one side and the Andes mountains on the other. This created a natural barrier from the horrors the rest of the world experienced with phylloxera.
Like Malbec to Argentina, Carménère quickly became an important part of Chile’s culture. They are understandably very proud of their discovery. Their wine industry has become increasingly competitive in the world market, partially thanks to this somewhat fickle grape.
Carménère is a lively wine. Seriously, that is the best way to describe it. It wakes up your taste buds with bright fruit flavors that just don’t exist in most wines. Its South American sister, Malbec, has this fruit-forward taste as well but in a sweeter and less exciting way. Carménère is often described as having plum, blackberry, and pepper flavors.
Another great thing about Carménère is the price, which is a common plus to buying Chilean wines. Though they are some of the most competitive in the market, they never break your bank. Some may say it’s because Chileans don’t know just how impressive the world thinks their wine is, but I think it says a lot about their culture. To me, it says, “we want everyone to enjoy our wine, and lots of it.”
I highly recommend Viña Concha y Toro’s version. It is always a safe way to go, as it comes by way of Chile’s biggest international distributor. So grab a glass and enjoy Carménère the way Chileans do: Bakán!
No comments:
Post a Comment