Carménère Grape Variety

Carménère is a red blending grape used in Bordeaux-style wines. The variety was originally planted in the Médoc region of France. It is thought that it is practically impossible to find the Carménère grape in France today because phylloxera affected this grape particularly. The grape itself was thought to be extinct. When the vineyards were replanted, this variety was ignored because either it was a variety which was extremely difficult to find, if it all, and even if the growers could find it, it was very difficult to grow.

The greatest concentration of Carménère grapes is now to be found in Chile where it has been quietly flourishing for the last 150 years where it was mistaken for Merlot until very recently.

It is grown all over Italy with the largest concentrations being in Friuli Venezia Giulia, Lazio, Lombardy, Sicily, Puglia, Sardegna, Tuscany and the Veneto. It is a majority component in a large variety of DOC wines including Colli Berici, Maremma Toscana, and Colli Euganei.