Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz have traditionally been the big red players in the global wine market. There are a number of reasons these varietals have gained such popularity, one factor being that they are all relatively easy to cultivate, another being that they simply produce excellent wines. But if you are the sort of person that likes to explore or have a break from the norm, it’s time to try Carmenère.

Widely grown in the Médoc in the 18th century, Carmenère produced exceptionally good wine but was abandoned due to susceptibility to coulure and the resulting low yields. In the 19th century, cuttings of Merlot were taken to Chile, however it was later found that the majority of these vines were in fact Carmenère (up to 90% in certain vineyards). They look so similar, and don’t taste miles apart either, but they ripen at different times. So a field of Merlot and Carmenère vines harvested at the same time often produced a bit of a monster wine.

The fascinating part of this story is that Chile only officially recognised Carmenère as recently as 1996, and it has only been able to label wines as Carmenère since 1998. In this time many Chilean winemakers have come to grips with managing this wonderful grape. Like Pinot Noir, it’s fussy. Between winter and harvest time, too much rain can play havoc with the final flavours, and on the flip-side, a site that is too hot can off set the balance with too much alcohol. But Chile has many sites that are perfectly suited, and it looks like what is a loss to France, is a gain for Chile.

A big, full-bodied wine, Carmenère makes powerful, spicy reds with low acidity, fairly high tannins and a velvety texture. Expect flavours of dark, sweet fruit (blackberry and plum) and perhaps green bell pepper and green bean when under-ripe.

Who knows, had it worked out in France, Carmenère could have been rolling of the tongue as easily as Merlot. Maybe some day it will. Just don’t believe that it’s only the noble grapes varieties that can produce stunning wine.

There’s no better place to start than with Santa Alicia’s Carmenère.