Carménère 2022

Do you know Carménère ? We thought this was an ancient Bordeaux grape variety extinct following the ravages of Phylloxera in the 19th century . And yet a Chilean aristocrat by the name of Silvestre Ochagavia , traveling in Europe, imported noble French grape varieties and brought back a few Carménère vines that he then planted in Chile. Having since become an emblem of national viticulture , this red grape variety develops in this vintage, an intense aroma of tobacco , coffee, strawberry, raspberry and smoked paprika . It is a very aromatic, light and balanced wine. A discovery not to be missed!

It was Hernán Cortés who ordered, upon the conquest of Mexico, the cultivation of vines in 1524. It gradually extended from Mexico southwards to reach Chile in 1555. During the first 3 centuries of colonization, there was no Cultivated in Chile as país, a black grape variety without character and very productive. It was not until the middle of the 19th century that noble varieties were introduced: mainly cabernet sauvignon, merlot, syrah, sauvignon blanc and chardonnay. Twenty years later, winemaking was modernized under the leadership of wealthy owners and French experts who were forced into unemployment by phylloxera in Europe. Chile stretches 4,300 kilometers from north to south. It is wedged between the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Andes Mountains to the east, the Atacama Desert to the north, the Patagonian plains and glaciers to the south. These natural barriers prevented phylloxera from entering the country. Although the country is only 160 kilometers wide, it has ideal conditions for growing warm, intermediate and cool grape varieties, so much so that it is often described as a paradise for growing grapes. With nearly 300 properties producing bottled wines, Chile fluctuates between 6th and 8th place in the world.