Carménère - The lost grape of Bordeaux

Have you tried a merlot from Chile in the past few years? If so, are you sure it was merlot? You may have been tasting carménère (car-men-YEHR).  Let’s take a quick look at Chile, and how carménère may be the “signature wine” of Chile. 

Spanish missionaries brought the first vines (pais) to Chile around 1549 (there are no native grape vines in South America). Between 1840 to 1850, French immigrants, brought with them, the vines from their homeland: merlot, cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, plus many others. Chilean winemakers modeled their wineries after those in France and began planting in the valleys around Santiago.

Vine cuttings of carménère were imported by growers from Bordeaux, where they were frequently confused with Merlot vines. Carménère was part of the field blend, grown with merlot. So, when cuttings were brought from the merlot vineyards of France to Chile, carménère came along with it. In Bordeaux, carménère was considered as good as cabernet sauvignon, but it had irregular yields, so was not as reliable. 

Chile is a very isolated country. Bordered by the Pacific Ocean on the west, the Andes to the East, the driest desert on earth (Atacama) to the north, and the ice fields of Patagonia to the south….Chile is apart from everything. This isolation prevented Chile from the phylloxera louse (a serious vine killing organism).  In the 1870s, this louse spread all throughout France, and from there to other European and North American vineyards, destroying the vines at the roots. Among those displaced by phylloxera were winemakers, growers, and coopers (barrel makers). To this day, the wines of Chile come from vines that grow on their natural rootstock.  Most other growing areas in the world require that the vines be grafted onto phylloxera resistant rootstock. Can you taste the difference?

For a while, Chilean growers thought carménère was merlot and labeled their wines as such. Evidently “Merlot Chileno” was thought to have a distinctively green tasting characteristic for many years. Then in 1994, thanks to DNA testing, it was discovered that the reason for this was that much of the merlot production included, or was, carménère.

Genetic research has shown that carménère may be a distant relative to merlot. Carménère buds and flowers later than Merlot and the yield is lower. When young, carménère leaves have a reddish hue underneath, while the leaves of merlot are white.  Merlot ripens two to three weeks earlier than carménère.

As a wine,  carménère has deep red color, and low acidity. When ripe, it displays black plum, blackberry, coffee, grilled meat, soy sauce, and spice. The tannins are gentler and softer than those in cabernet sauvignon and it is a medium body wine. When produced from ripe grapes, carménère has a fruity, cherry-like, flavor with smoky, spicy and earthy notes. Its’ taste might also be described as dark chocolate, tobacco, and/or leather.


So, is this the “signature wine” of Chile? Give carménère a try, and let me know what you think of this lost grape of Bordeaux.

Are you a Wine Snob?

Let's be frank about it, when you're at a restaurant, or a friends house, and the topic turns to what wine to have that evening, do you intimidate others with your knowledge? Do you turn your nose up at the suggestion of Charles Shaw Cabernet with your meal? Or, are you like Myles in the movie Sideways, who won't drink any f*@%ing Merlot? Come on, admit it. Could you be (gasp) a "wine snob"?

What is the definition of a "wine snob"? The dictionary says a "snob" is, "somebody who looks down on others and considers their own knowledge, or position, to be superior". This might be a good thing when it comes to wine, as a wine snob might know enough about wine that they can pick an excellent bottle off a wine list, without paying a fortune for it. And, that pick might just be the best pairing you ever had. Then again, that same wine snob may make you feel insecure about your own decision, and even ridicule your choice. I think there is a fine line between being a wine snob, and a wine enthusiast (or even a "wine geek").

I think we should all try to be "wine enthusiasts". To me an enthusiast is willing to try new wines, and is always exploring new pairings, new varietals, and continuing to learn. An enthusiast never belittles other peoples' wine choices, tastes, or opinions. An enthusiast likes to learn about wine, and is eager to share that knowledge with others.

Recent reports show that individuals aged 21 to 34, are increasingly pursuing wine for a variety of reasons. “They equate it with sophistication, it allows them a means to connect with friends, and they see it as a more healthful alternative to other alcoholic beverages,” This age group tends to purchase more imported wines than baby boomers. We are in the age of the enthusiast!

My hope is that we remain enthusiasts, and never turn into snobs. Let's leave the snobs to their own self-image, and simply enjoy the wine we are drinking. After all, Psalm 104: 14-15 says, "He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and plants for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth and wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man's heart."

Okay...let the comments begin. Are you a snob, or an enthusiast?

Cognac

Last night, I had the opportunity to join 20 other people at a "wine" pairing dinner at the Lake Arrowhead Resort. We had the private "Magnum Room", at Bin 189 (thanks Dayna Czermak). This was a five course meal paired with three Remy Martin Cognacs and two sparkling wines. I'll go into the menu and my thoughts on the pairing in due time, but I thought it might be worthwhile to take a very basic look at what makes Cognac...Cognac.

The saying goes, "All Cognac is Brandy, but not all Brandy is Cognac". So what is Cognac, and what makes it special? Cognac is a vine growing region in France, just north of Bordeaux. Cognac is a brandy, that is to say, it is a distilled spirit made from wine. Within the Cognac region, there are six growing districts. The two best are Grande Champagne, and Petite Champagne. These districts have nothing to do with the Champagne region known for sparkling wines, other than they share the same light chalky soil (Santonian and Campanian chalks). The grapes used to make wine are Ugni Blanc (probably better known to Italian wine drinkers as Trebbiano), a small amount of Colombard, and an even smaller amount of Folle Blanche.

Once the high acid, generally undrinkable still wine is made, it is then distilled in pot stills, known as Cherentais. Distillation basically boils the wine, and separates the alcohol, water and volatile substances. In the case of Cognac, it is distilled twice, to get a purer product. Next, the distilled brandy is stored in oak barrels for a minimum of 30 months. When the brandy is ready, it is blended with other brandies from different vintages, to create the house brand. Just before bottling, the alcohol strength is cut down with distilled water to bring the total alcohol level to 40%. Cognac brandy is measured based on the youngest spirit in the blend. VS (Very Special) is a minimum of  3 years old; VSOP (Very Special Old Pale) is a minimum of  4 years old; and XO is a minimum of 6 years old.

Remy Martin Cognac shows "Fine Champagne" on the label which indicates that the grapes used were from a blend of grapes from the two best regions. Remy Martin was founded in 1724, and is one of the oldest Cognac producers. Their labels feature a Centaur. I have tried to determine the significance of this symbol, and the best explanation I have heard is that it represents the cross between man and nature (and also the founder might have been a Sagittarius). The 1738 is a proprietary blend for Remy Martin, and honors King Henry XV and his decree, allowing Remy Martin to expand their vineyards in 1738.

Josh Olson (Vino 100) sampling the Cognacs

Menu:
1st Course - Baked brie w/ apple butter, prosciutto and caramelized pear - matched with Piper Heidsick Cuvee Sublime. I found this Champagne to have nice toast and pear characteristics, and some good acidity. It was a demi-sec (having some residual sugar). The acidity worked with the creaminess of the brie, and the little bit of sweetness went with the salty prosciutto.

2nd Course - Roast duckling w/ sweet & sour shallot sauce atop baby green - matched with Remy Martin VSOP on ice. The VSOP on ice was an interesting approach. I wouldn't normally put Cognac on ice, but it did mellow the "heat" from the 40% alcohol. The Cognac had characteristics of nuts, citrus and vanilla, which kind of worked with this dish. By mellowing the Cognac with ice, it did pair up with the sauce on the duck, but not my favorite pairing. Both were nice on their own however.

3rd Course - Parmesan potato croquette w/ champagne sage and mushroom ragu - matched with Domaine Carneros La Reve Blanc de Blanc. My favorite pairing of the night...this one really worked! The sparkling wine from Carnernos (La Reve means "the dream"), had notes of yogurt, pear and yeast. The creaminess of this dish worked with the acidity of the wine. The earthiness of the mushrooms and saltiness of the Parmesan were a wonderful pairing.

4th Course - Pork tenderloin w/ a glazed honey sauce and sweet cous cous - matched with Remy Martin 1738. This Cognac seemed a bit "hot" to me, even though it had the same alcohol level as the other Cognacs of the night. Once again, strong vanilla, nut, and citrus characteristics, with a hint of butterscotch and dried fruit. I found myself cutting the Cognac with a bit of water to reduce the affects of alcohol. The sauce reminded me of kumquats, but there wasn't any in there. We were told it was a blend of honey, orange juice, and soy sauce. Whatever it was...it worked. The cous cous had stewed raisins, but was a little too sweet.

5th Course - Vanilla Creme Brulee w/ caramelized apricot glaze and whit chocolate Grand Marnier Truffle - matched with Remy Martin XO. To me, this was the smoothest of the three Cognacs. The same characteristics of the others, but with this dish, the vanilla just popped out. I could have done without the white chocolate truffle, as the Grand Marnier had faded to nothing by the time it was plated.

Three Remy Martin Cognacs - 3 different glasses

All in all, and very nice evening to explore Cognac with a main course. I have now found some new pairing ideas for future meals, and learned a little more about the uniqueness of Cognac, and Remy Martin. I'd love to hear your pairing ideas!