Top Chile Carmenere Wines by Value: James Suckling Reports

Chile seems like an endless source of affordable, high-quality wines, especially for international varietals like cabernet sauvignon and sauvignon blanc, but many people associate Chile with the unique red called carmenere.

Carmenere has had a complicated history and remains somewhat misunderstood even now. It was first planted in the Medoc region of Bordeaux and is thought to be one of the region’s original red grapes. When old cuttings of carmenere were brought to Chile in the 1850s, they were mistaken for merlot, and while you might think such a mislabeling would quickly be recognized and rectified, it persisted until the 1994, when the grape’s secret identity was uncovered by a French researcher. Carmenere wasn’t officially recognized as a distinct variety until 1998.

Today in France, carmenere is almost nowhere to be found because it wasn’t replanted after a phylloxera outbreak devastated it in the mid-19^th century. So while carmenere is still technically considered an international variety, Chile is its main home, and it has become one of the nation’s calling cards.

Carmenere grapes in the vineyards of Montes just before harvest. (Photo from @monteswines)

Despite the shaky provenance, carmenere offers consumers a lot to love in the glass. In the best examples, it is structured with fine tannins coated with dark fruits and a bevy of spices, graphite and leather. When picked early, carmenere can show brighter and spicier red and black fruits. When picked riper, a wonderful depth and concentration can result. Whatever the far ends of its character, a well-made carmenere is a distinctive crowd-pleaser.

One of our favorite regions for carmenere in Chile is Colchagua Valley, which lies within the greater Central Valley – home to the majority of Chile’s overall wine production.

Andrea Leon, the winemaker at Lapostolle winery in Colchagua Valley, told us in an interview that carmenere works well with the poor, granitic soils that can be found throughout much of Colchagua, particularly in Apalta. The climate in the area is warm, but the ocean breezes coming off the Pacific provide cooling ventilation, creating a strong diurnal shift at night.

Our list below makes for an excellent entry point into the world of Chilean carmenere, with all the bottles priced at less than $20. Some of the bottles come from top producers like Lapostolle and Montes, but don’t let their budget cost fool you – these wines are made to the same exacting standards as these makers’ flagship wines. Best of all, these offerings represent incredible value and are excellent pairings for any late summer grilling you have in mind.

– Nathan Slone, Associate Editor

SEE MORE OF OUR GREAT VALUE WINE REPORTS: