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Carmenere: a history of patience

15 April 2024 By Iris Fabre

Thanks to its rediscovery, the long misunderstood grape variety slowly carved its path to success: help your wine stand out by entering the Global Carmenere Masters competition by 3 May.

If Carmenere were a saying, it would without a doubt be “everything comes to those who wait”. This black grape variety has been around for centuries, and yet it has only been rediscovered recently.

After a century almost forgotten as a historic Bordeaux blending grape, then mistaken for Merlot, Carmenere has developed a fantastic reputation in the past thirty years, since Chile embraced it as its signature variety.

Carmenere slowly carved its path to success in the wine landscape, and is now not only Chile’s crown jewel, but also grown in China, where it is called Cabernet Gernitsch, in Italy, and back to its origins, in Bordeaux.

After the success of its first edition, which uncovered a myriad of fine Carmenere from Chile but also gems from Northern Italy, the Global Carmenère Masters returns in May. The dedicated competition aims at finding the top expressions across the world of this long misunderstood grape variety.

The Global Carmenere Masters is open to any varietal Carmenere, or blends containing at least 50% Carmenere. They can be produced anywhere in the world.

Entries are open for another and results will be published in the issue of the drinks business magazine and online.

Time to reward your patience: get your Carmenere a medal and enter the competition here before 3 May.

Entries cost £159 ex VAT.

For more information contact: sophie@thedrinksbusiness.com.

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