Odfjell Orzada Carménère

Odfjell, Orzada, 750 ml
Variety: Carménère
Viña Odfjell, Maule Valley
Composition: 95% Carménère and 5% Syrah
Vintage: 2011
Oenologist: Arnaud Hereu

Pairing:  This wine loves grilled dishes, as the nature of the meat mirrors the bitter edge of the tannin in the wine. Serve at 16-18°C.

Tasting notes:

Colour: Attractive dark red in colour with purple reflections.
Aromas: The nose is intense and complex, with spices, ripe red fruits such as cherries, raspberries and plums mixed with aromas of blackberries, mushrooms, and anis, followed by tobacco and vanilla.
Palate: The concentration in the mouth is the highlight, both juicy and powerful. The finish is long, with soft, velvety tannins.

Category:

When norwegian armador (shipowner) Dan Odfjell founded his winery, he embarked upon an adventure filled with challenge and promise. “Orzada” is a nautical term for sailing up against the wind before setting a direction – the Orzada wines reflect the attitude to staking a course in pursuit of beautiful and memorable wines. This Carménère was chosen following the same attitude.  Carménère is one of the most ancient European varieties, it is thought to be the antecedent of other better-known varieties; some consider the grape to be “a long-established clone of Cabernet Sauvignon.” It is possible that the variety name is an alias for what is actually the Vidure, a local Bordeaux name for a Cabernet Sauvignon clone once thought to be the grape from which all red Bordeaux varieties originated.

The Carménère grape has known origins in the Médoc region of Bordeaux, France and was also widely planted in the Graves until the vines were struck with oidium. It is almost impossible to find Carménère wines in France today, as a Phylloxera plague in 1867 nearly destroyed all the vineyards of Europe, afflicting the Carménère grapevines in particular such that for many years the grape was presumed extinct. When the vineyards were replanted, growers could not replant Carménère as it was extremely hard to find and more difficult to grow than other grape varieties common to Bordeaux. The region’s damp, chilly spring weather gave rise to coulure, “a condition endemic to certain vines in climates which have marginal, sometimes cool, wet springs“, which prevented the vine’s buds from flowering. Yields were lower than other varieties and the crops were rarely healthy; consequently wine growers chose more versatile and less coulure-susceptible grapes when replanting the vines and Carménère planting was progressively abandoned. Far from being extinct, in recent years the Carménère grape has been discovered to be thriving in several areas outside of France. In Chile, growers almost inadvertently preserved the grape variety during the last 150 years, due largely to its similarity to Merlot. Cuttings of Carménère were imported by Chilean growers from Bordeaux during the 19th century, where they were frequently confused with Merlot vines. Today, Carménère grows chiefly in the Colchagua Valley, Rapel Valley, and Maipo Valley.

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