Carmenère

Carmenère is rich and full-bodied with distinctive blackberry and plum flavors when young, accompanied by characteristic herbaceous notes of green pepper and eucalyptus. When fully ripe, these green notes soften beautifully, creating a more balanced wine.

Carmenère thrives in warm climates and has found its ideal home in Chile, where it's become a flagship variety. Originally from Bordeaux, it needs sufficient heat to fully ripen and avoid excessive herbaceous character.

Carmenère's full body and herbaceous notes make it excellent with grilled red meats, especially lamb and beef with herb crusts. It also pairs beautifully with roasted vegetables and dishes featuring bell peppers or Mediterranean herbs.

With age, Carmenère develops complex tertiary aromas of leather, earth, and chocolate while the herbaceous green pepper notes mellow. The wine maintains its full body but gains additional depth and sophistication over time.

Carmenère shares some characteristics with Merlot in terms of body and plum flavors, but its distinctive herbaceous green pepper notes set it apart. It was historically confused with Merlot in Bordeaux before being properly identified as a separate variety.