11 good Carmenere to consider (and at great prices)

Strain originating from France, during the 20th century it was considered lost on the Old Continent, because of the diseases from which its vines suffered. However, a few decades ago some Carmenere plants appeared in Chile almost by chance and the story changed, this time in our favor. That’s why today we have carmenere to celebrate, and here is a small selection of good examples.

A fairly light red, although with some dark fruit notes. On the nose, it is quite austere but it is still a recommendable wine, ideal to drink on a hot afternoon near a barbecue. In short: good, nice and not expensive.

Another simple red at a good price, ideal for enjoying a corn cake. It is a very simple wine but which accompanies meals very well. In the mouth, it is light and almost sweet.

Here things change and also the price, because we find a carmenere very different from the previous ones. It presents a palette of black fruit aromas and a very pleasant fruity sensation in the mouth. A wine which, despite its power, is refreshing. It is ideal for a baked silver.

We return to average prices but with a wine that is doing quite well, with an intense fruity aroma and a flavor marked by black fruits. It is, in the end, a very pleasant wine to drink and which goes very well with homemade preparations such as a casserole of meatballs.

Beyond the typical aroma of black fruits, the palate of this carménère is a little more powerful than average. It feels slightly herbal and there is significant but pleasant astringency. A powerful meal wine, no doubt. An example? Roasted sausages with spicy mash.

Without being very enthusiastic about this strain, it is one of my favorite Carmeneres: it contains all the characteristics of a Carmenere – ie the aroma of black fruits and certain notes of acidity on the palate – but with more power the same temporal balance as in others. Really, a great wine, which calls for a level piece of meat. For example, a grilled steak.

Another wine that follows the more or less usual canons of this strain, but also does it at a higher level. This gives it greater persistence, without losing its finesse. With a chicken with peas I’m sure it would go very well.

We continue with the most complex carmenere, but this time at a very affordable price. Here, to the classic aromas of red fruits are added tobacco and quite a bit of wood on the palate, but it does not become heavy or awkward. A “jarred” but totally drinkable wine that calls for a well-seasoned beef shawarma.

A classic of this variety and also of the Miguel Torres vineyard. We are talking here about a slightly fruitier than average Carmenere, which makes it very pleasant on the palate and even refreshing. With hearty Peruvian anticuchos, I would be in luxury.

A Carménère full of fruit and at the same time slightly herbaceous, also with a little wood given its passage in barrels. In other words, a complex and very persistent wine in the mouth, ideal to accompany a charquicán with some fried eggs on top.

Finally, another very classic and very tasty carménère. Full of dark fruit —the plum is a bit more pronounced—, it has a unique persistence and rich acidity on the palate. A very good red, which will go very well with stewed lentils with vegetables and a little chorizo.

*Product prices in this article are current as of October 6, 2022. Values ​​and availability may change.