Odfjell Armador Carmenere 2010

A deep, dark Carmenère with toffee and caramel notes followed by blackberry and raspberry fruit and liquorice and coffee on the finish.

For you Cab lovers out there who resolved to expand their wine horizons this year, here is a great one to try.  Carmenere is originally from the Medoc region in Bordeaux.  The name Carmenere comes from the French word for crimson, carmin.  It has nothing to do with the color of the grapes or the wine.  Rather is refers to the color of the vine foliage in the Fall.  Although this grape originated in Bordeaux, you hardly see it there at all anymore.  Where you do see Carmenere is in the Central Valley of Chile.

This Carmenere is a deep red in the glass with aromas of spices and berries.  The tannins are softer than those in Cabernet Sauvignon (a plus in the Wine Witch’s book) with a medium body.  Plum would be the main fruit present with some smokey undertones.  This is a bit of cocoa and leather at the end.  It is a lot of wine under £10.

The 2007 Odfjell Carmenere Armador is appropriate anytime you would consider a Cabernet Sauvignon – think steak.  However, it softer edges makes it a bit more versatile to go with lighter dishes.