Grapes Resurreccions in Chile

If you have ever been in Chile (since 90's), you probably had listened about how Carménère almost vanished from the world and was rediscovered in a Chilean vineyard in a Merlot plantation. If you didn't, that's OK, I'll tell this story on another day.

Apparently, Chile has this thing about make some grapes (and/or its wines) reborn.

Carignan, for example, is a highly productive wine grape that grows well even in deserts, and because of that was historically over-cropped, producing low quality bulk wine. However in the past few years it has resurrected as a quality wine in Languedoc-Roussillon (France), and specially in Central Chile.

Originally, Carignan is a Spanish grape. On warm climates has flavors like prune and blackberry, while on cool climates tastes more like strawberry or black currant. Nowadays Tunisia and Algeria are some of the biggest producers of  Carignan grapes, but usually those are for blends.

I confess, I had never tasted Carignan wine till came to live in Chile and by now it's one of my favorite wines.

Last "Dieciocho" (probably the most important holiday in Chile), I made a food and wine pairing that was just incredible. My husband and I made a "steak house pasta", and to drink I chose a Carignan from Undurraga vineyard. This Carignan was made with grapes from Maule region, coming of 2 subregions: Cauquenes and San Javier de Loncomilla. Maule region is located south of Santiago, San Javier de Loncomilla is on the center of this region (warmest) and Cauquenes is closest to the Pacific Ocean (coldest). Therefore this wine is very balanced, with black fruits flavors and also acidity and tannins medium plus.

The tannins and acidity "cutted" the fatty sensation of the food. The baking spices and cured meat flavors of the wine made a incredible pair by affinity with the "steak house pasta". In other words, that was a perfect match.