I’ve recently become a big fan of wines produced from a grape that was once thought to be extinct – Carménèrere (car-men-YEHR). Originally planted in the Medoc region of Bordeaux, France, Carménère was considered part of the original six red grapes of Bordeaux (Cabernet sauvignon, Cabernet franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit verdot and Carménère). In 1867 a devastating Phylloxera plague nearly destroyed all the vineyards in Europe. Carménère’s vines were particularly susceptible to the plague and for many years the grape was presumed extinct. However Carménère was discovered to be thriving at multiple locations outside France. Chile boasts the largest plantings of Carménère in the world, and it is now believed that nearly 50% of the entire crop of what was once thought to be Merlot is actually Carménère.

The Carménère I bring to you today is a great value red wine that will appeal to a great range of palates. I was on the lookout for an everyday red that was off the beaten path and I came across Concha Y Toro’s 2008 Casillero del Diablo Carménère.

The Casillero del Deiablo name was created by Don Melchor, founder of Conch Y Toro, in 1871 in an attempt to keep people out of his private cellar. Mr. Melchor began spreading rumors that a devil lived in that particular cellar and thus a legend was born.

Quality

The Carménère grapes were sourced from Chile’s Rapel Valley wine region. The Rapel Valley is located south of Santigo and is so named for the Rapel river that cuts through the heart of the region. This Carménère aged for 8 months in American Oak barrels.

The Casillero del Diablo Carménère is a deeply, dark purple wine. It has very pleasant dark fruit and chocolate aromas. The first sip reveals a fruit forward wine with a flavor profile I can best describe as a chocolate covered cherry. The finish is smooth and highlights the toasty oak notes.

I had this wine alone, with some well aged white cheddar and a hearty casserole of baked penne pasta with meatballs. Not surprisingly it paired best with the penne pasta. But if your thirsting for an easy drinking red after a hard day’s work, this wine fits the bill.

Value

This wine is a great value. Its nicely balance, shows fruit well and is a good example of an easy drinking red from Chile. A typical shelf price is $11 and I would give it a value score of 110.

Final Score – 15.25:110

If you are looking to venture out of your everyday routine of red wines I suggest you give Concha Y Toro’s Casillero del Diablo Carménère 2008 a try. Cheers!