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CARMENERE and other Chilean vino's...
Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2005 1:10 pm
by didgidee
Has anyone checked out this red grape variety which is grown mostly in Chile. It has incredible colour and very juicy cabernet like qualities. I reckon Chile makes some ripper cheap wines[Montes Merlot is top quaffer] and wonder if anyone would recommend anything for around $20-$30. red or white, i aint prejudiced!
Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2005 2:33 am
by Ian S
Didgidee
Yup, very good quaffers & Montes are good at what they do - sound, good value wines. Not sure if their next level up (Alpha) has improved much - the Chard certainly was a shocker! They also produce a prestige Shiraz/Syrah called Montes Folly. We've certainly enjoyed their basic Cab Sav & also the Sauvignon Blanc - especially in restaurants where price can be a limiting factor.
Other Companies? Santa Rita rings a bell as another regarded company. Worth looking at Argentina as well, who seem to have got their act together - especially in the reds.
Out of interest Carmenere was commonly mistaken for (as I recall) Merlot and they had a right old mix of the two in many of the vineyards. From that embarassment, they've moved on to try and establish Carmenere as their signature grape.
regards
Ian
Posted: Sun Jan 09, 2005 9:39 pm
by didgidee
cheers Ian,
i can see the Merlot comaparison but Carmenere is a bit leaner and leathery, and the sweet plum punch of Merlot is not quite as pronounced. the colour was the thing that stood out though. it was poz sexy!
i'd love to taste those two varietals [from the same company] side by side. Some of the so called lesser
blending Bordeaux varities[ie: Malbec] can make lovely straight vino's. a nice change.
i had a Argentian malbec once[forgotten name] and it was pretty damn good. Bleasdale from langhorne creek [Sth Oz] make a good Malbec.
well worth trying if you can track it down in Norwich! wow.
Ian S wrote:Didgidee
Other Companies? Santa Rita rings a bell as another regarded company. Worth looking at Argentina as well, who seem to have got their act together - especially in the reds.
Out of interest Carmenere was commonly mistaken for (as I recall) Merlot and they had a right old mix of the two in many of the vineyards. From that embarassment, they've moved on to try and establish Carmenere as their signature grape.
regards
Ian