2019 Hermoso Hermosa Carmenere Chile

The Carmenere grape's name comes from Carmin-a French word meaning crimson. It is in reference to the crimson color of the leaves on the vine before they fall off. It is an interesting grape that is the naturally occurring cross between Cabernet Franc and Gros Cabernet. The reason that Carmenere disappeared from Bordeaux was due to this grape demanding consistent warmth in its long growing season, which was something that Bordeaux simply could not dependably offer. The result was lower yields and viticultural problems due to excessive rain. It therefore was ripped out of its home and thought of to be extinct until the 1990s when winemakers in Chile cultivated a late ripening clone of Merlot that turned out to be the missing Carmenere. The grape wound up in Chile from immigration when many Europeans resettled in Chile and brought with them grape vines to propagate and grow.