The story of the Carmenère grape variety, known for producing flavorful red wines filled with power, balance and finesse, is rich with history, intrigue and true mystery. In the mid 1800s, these thick-skinned black grapes were blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot to make some of the best wines in the legendary French region of Bordeaux. But due to its tendency to ripen late, the variety was not replanted after the vineyards of Europe were wiped out by the devastating plant disease, phylloxera, in the 1860s.
Luckily, the story does not end there, for prior to the phylloxera epidemic, healthy cuttings of Carmenère were shipped to Chile. Thereafter, new vineyards were developed with inter-plantings of Carmenère and Merlot. But over time, the identity of this rare grape faded and it was mistaken for a strain of Merlot. In 1994, this mystery was solved with the rediscovery of the lost variety in the vineyards of Chile by French leaf expert Jean Michel Boursiquot.
Today, renewed interest in the grape has lead to new plantings and an increase of Carmenère vineyards in Chile from 330 to 6,000 hectares. When farmed correctly, Carmenère grapes can produce colorful wines featuring rich, silky tannins, layers of complexity and a wide range of aromas with flavors of ripe cherry, plum, wild berry and spice.
In addition to being bottled as its own varietal, many Chilean producers use the variety as a blending component to give their wines a unique touch of Chilean personality. A tasty example of this style is the (oops) 2006 Carmenère-Merlot, Valle Central, $12. Named "(oops)" for the mistake that kept the great variety a secret for almost a hundred years, this wine is made with fruit grown in Curico and Maule Valley. With a deep purple-red color, it features alluring aromas of ripe blackberry with nuances of white pepper, clove, and fresh leather. On the palate, the Carmenère (70%) offers rich flavors of black currant and plum; while the smaller portion of Merlot (30%) provides deep flavors of ripe berries and appealing notes of fresh herbs and earth.
An excellent DVD pairing for this delicious wine is Paris, je t'aime ("Paris, I Love You" in English). Loaded with romance and a superb ensemble case of actors and directors, this two-hour gem originally debuted at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2006 and was later screened at film festivals and theaters in Canada and America before being released on DVD in early 2008.
Eighteen short films representing the famous districts or arrondissements of Paris. Among them, a young American actress (Maggie Gyllenhaal) gets giddy after interaction with a new found friend in the Quartier des Enfants Rouges (IIIe arrondissement); a couple (Fanny Ardant and Bob Hoskins) attempt to spice up their fizzling relationship with the help of a prostitute in Pigalle (IXe arrondissement); and a backpacker (Elijah Wood) falls in love with a sexy female vampire (Olga Kurrylenko) in the Quartier de la Madeleine (VIIIe arrondissement).
Among the directors are Gus Van Sant, the Coen Brothers, Gerard Depardieu and Wes Craven. The cast also features, among others, Willem Dafoe, Nathalie Portman, Miranda Richardson and Nick Nolte.
Like the flavor profile of the (oops) Carmenère-Merlot, the film's interwoven stories are powerful but nuanced.
*Prices quoted in U.S. dollars
