Behind the Cork™ - Carmenere Wine of Chile (Part 3 of 3)

Carménère (kar-men-nair) is a wine grape whose name is derived from the French carmin (meaning crimson). It was a grape that was thought to be nearly extinct. In 1994, fewer than 25 acres of Carménère remained in France’s Médoc, Bordeaux. But that all changed when it was discovered that an estimated one-third of what had been thought in Chile to be Merlot was actually Carménère. Carménère rose from near worldwide oblivion following the phylloxera crisis that had swept through the Médoc to now representing a country on the global stage: Carménère became synonymous with Chile.

Here are the final two in this series of Carménère wines from Chile…

2020 TerraNoble CA2 Costa Carménère ($36)

The Carménère grapes for this wine were grown in the Lolol vineyard that is located in the Colchagua Valley in Chile. The Lolol vineyard is located 25 miles from the ocean in the Chilean Coastal Mountain Range.

This 100% Carménère was cold macerated for 10 days. Fermentation took place for 8 to 12 days, then a post fermentative maceration of about two weeks. The wine was racked directly into French oak barrels and untoasted foudres where it underwent malolactic conversion and 16 months of aging.

This wine is deep ruby in color with medium-high aromas of black fruit and green pepper. On the palate, this medium-full bodied wine has spicy and rich dark fruit flavor with subtle notes from the oak. It finishes smooth and easy.

2020 Montes Wings Carménère ($55)

The grapes for this wine were grown in the Colchagua Valley, at on the winery’s Finca de Apalta estate. The vineyard is located on steep slopes, 650 feet above the valley floor. Some areas show the pronounced influence of the nearby Tinguiririca River, while others are more alluvial, featuring eroded material from the mountain tops that ring the valley.

This wine is produced from 85% Carménère and 15% Cabernet Franc that were cool macerated for 5-7 days followed by 12-15 days of fermentation before aging for 16 months in new French oak barrels (80%) and second- and third-use barrels (20%).

This wine is deep ruby in color with rich and complex aromas of black fruit, subtle herbs and hints of oak. On the palate, this medium-full bodied wine has deliciously rich dark fruit flavors, great complexity, easy tannin and a smooth and lingering fruit finish.

These two wines are excellent examples of Carménère wines that are being produced in Chile and are this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wines of the Week. Cheers!

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Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received these samples at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Media Samples Provided by TerraNoble and Montes Wines

Once Again it's Beaujolais Nouveau Time!

Beaujolais Nouveau. Its name literally means 'new Beaujolais.' This wine is named for the village of Beaujeu in France, which is a small region just south of Burgundy.

On the third Thursday of each November, which is November 16th this year, France releases Beaujolais Nouveau wine to the world.

The 'new' part of this wine is due to the fact that the grapes used to make this wine are picked from the vineyards just a couple of months prior to its release! That's compared to most wines that spend at least a year or more going through the fermentation and aging process before being bottled and shipped to market.  But Beaujolais Nouveau gets from the vineyard to you in about two months!

Word has it that this wine was originally produced for the harvest workers in France to immediately thank them for all their hard work just after harvest was complete. But now its production is somewhere between 30-60 million bottles so that the entire world can enjoy.

Although there are more than 100 Beaujolais Nouveau festivals held each year in the Beaujolais region, the 'Les Sarmentelles' multi-day festival is said to be the biggest and most famous for celebrating the release of Beaujolais Nouveau. The festival includes music, dancing, fireworks and, yes, plenty of wine.

This wine is produced entirely from handpicked Gamay grapes and because it is so new, it is very fresh and fruity. Many describe Beaujolais Nouveau as having flavors of candied cherries, strawberries, red plum, bananas and and even bubble gum.

Beaujolais Nouveau is meant to be enjoyed young, not critiqued. So, pick up a bottle soon and give it a slight chill. Then raise a glass of Beaujolais Nouveau to the French harvest workers. It's Beaujolais Nouveau time! Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Carmenere Wine of Chile (Part 2 of 3)

Carménère (kar-men-nair) is a wine grape whose name is derived from the French carmin (meaning crimson). It was a grape that was thought to be nearly extinct. In 1994, fewer than 25 acres of Carménère remained in France’s Médoc, Bordeaux. But that all changed when it was discovered that an estimated one-third of what had been thought in Chile to be Merlot was actually Carménère. Carménère rose from near worldwide oblivion following the phylloxera crisis that had swept through the Médoc to now representing a country on the global stage: Carménère became synonymous with Chile.

Here are two more very nice Carménère wines from Chile…

2021 Morandé Vitis Unica Carménère ($20)

The grapes for this wine come from the San Bernardo estate, located in the Maipo Valley, Chile, and are planted on the north side of the river in a bed of pure gravel. This 100% Carménère was hand harvested, fermented in stainless steel tanks and aged in 80% French oak foundres and 20% new French oak barrels before being store for around 16 months.

This wine is medium purple in color with subtle aromas of red and black fruit along with a bit of pepper. On the palate, this medium-full bodied Carménère has fresh flavors of black cherry, medium tannin and an easy finish.

(13.5% ABV, Total Acidity = 3.59 g/L, pH=3.42, Residual Sugar=2.74 g/L)

2020 Primus Carménère ($20)

The grapes for this wine come comes from Apalta in Colchagua Chile. It is made with organic grapes that are grown in granite-and clay-rich soils. The vineyards are surrounded by native forests, where the Andes and Coastal mountain ranges meet. The wine was aged for 12 months in French oak barrels, 18% of which were new. It is deep purple in color with aromas of black cherry and black plum with subtle herbal notes. On the palate it displays rich dark fruit flavors along with some pepper and herbs. It has medium tannin, balanced acidity and a long finish.

(14.5% ABV, Total Acidity=4.94 g/L, pH=3.77, Residual Sugar=2.2 g/L)

(Imported by Gonzalez Byass)

Both of these lovely Carménère wines benefited by 30-60 minutes in a decanter. Again, Chile is producing very nice Carménère wines at great values that fit the mold as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wines of the Week. Cheers!

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Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received these samples at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Media Samples Provided by Morandé Wines and Primus Wines

Some Thoughts on the Standard 750 ml Wine Bottle

Photo by cottonbro studio

Today, a standard bottle of wine is 750 ml or 25.36 fluid ounces. This is seemingly an odd amount for a bottle to hold. And, having done a bit of research, it’s not perfectly clear how this number was picked.

But, here are some findings…

• French winemakers adopted this size to accommodate the volume required to serve a standard number of glasses

• This standardized size was influenced by the technological advancements in glass manufacturing

• This size made it easier for winemakers to store and distribute their products

• This bottle size made it optimal for wine aging and maturation. It creates the right balance between oxygen exchange and wine volume, thus the wine ages gracefully and develops its desired aromas and flavors over a reasonable amount of time

• A 750 ml bottle fits well on retail shelves, allowing for efficient display and storage

• It’s a manageable size for consumers to hold and pour

So, while not directly answering the question, the 750ml wine bottle has become the standard size due to historical, traditional, practical, and regulatory reasons while providing a level of consistency and convenience that benefits both wine producers and consumers. Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Carmenere Wines of Chile (Part 1 of 3)

Carménère (kar-men-nair) is a wine grape whose name is derived from the French carmin (meaning crimson). It was a grape that was thought to be nearly extinct. In 1994, fewer than 25 acres of Carménère remained in France’s Médoc, Bordeaux. But that all changed when it was discovered that an estimated one-third of what had been thought in Chile to be Merlot was actually Carménère. Carménère rose from near worldwide oblivion following the phylloxera crisis that had swept through the Médoc to now representing a country on the global stage: Carménère became synonymous with Chile.

Here are two very nice Carménère wines from Chile…

Viña San Esteban In Situ Carménère Reserva ($13)

This In Situ Carménère comes from the slopes of Paidahuen hill (3000 ft above sea level) and from the riverbanks of the Aconcagua River, just north of Santiago in Chile. It is produced from 95% Carménère and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. It was macerated for 18 days and then aged in 50% French and 50% American oak barrels for 12 months (well beyond the 6-month requirement for a Reserva wine). After the bottling, it was aged for at least 3 additional months before release.

This In Situ Carménère is deep ruby in color with aromas of deep red and black fruit with some herbal notes. On the palate this medium-bodied wine has rich black cherry and black plum flavors, and subtle oak nuances. The fruit of this wine is prominent on the front and easy on the finish. (ABV=13%, Total Acidity=5.42 g/L, pH=3.55, Residual Sugar=3.4 g/L).

Luma Chequen Gran Reserva Carménère ($17)

This Luma Carménère is from the dry Mediterranean climate of the Valle del Maule, which is 155 miles south of Santiago, Chile. The temperatures there are moderated by the proximity to the cool Pacific Ocean. It is produced from 100% Carménère that is cold macerated for 5 days, then fermented in stainless steel tanks for 10 days. It was then aged for barrel for 12 months.

This Luma Carménère is deep ruby in color with subtle fruit aromas and herbal notes of bell pepper and spices. On the palate, this medium-bodied wine has rich flavors of black berry and black plum, it has soft tannin and is well balanced. It has a nice lingering finish. (ABV=13.9%).

These are two nice examples of the Carménère being produced in Chile. And, at these prices, they are a great value! Hence, these two Carménère wines from Chile are this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wines of the Week. Cheers!

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Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received these samples at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Wines Provided by InVina Wines and InSitu Family Vineyards