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Sometime back I wrote about the "Lost Bordeaux Grape", Carmenere, which was wiped out in France in the 1880's due to Phylloxera, and thought lost to the world. Originally grown in the Medoc of France, cuttings had been planted in Chile in the mid 1800's, and were flourishing in vineyards there next to the Merlot, after the grape was ravaged in France a few decades later. In the 1990's the grape was re-identified in Chile, not as a strain of Merlot, but rather the variety Carmenere.
 
Root One wines tout themselves as original root stock, not grafted with other vines during the Phylloxera epidemic of the 1800's through the early 1900's, during which vines in Europe as well as the United States had to be grafted with disease resistant root stalk to save them. This brings us to the very excellent and enjoyable 2007 Root One Carmenere, which is more Bordeaux in style than most of the other wines I have enjoyed in the last few years from the Carmenere Grape. The composition is 75% Carmenere, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Syrah, combining to produce 100% wonderful!

The wine is earthy and spicy, with flavors of plum, cherry, and blackberry. The finish is long and lingering with silky tannins from its ten months in American oak. This a complex wine with great structure and rivals many Bordeauxs at three times the price! Of course it pairs well with grilled meats, and we enjoyed it with thick pork loin chops from the grill, but I suspect it would be even better with lamb. For a real treat, sample this Carmenere after dinner with some hearty cheddar cheese and fresh fruit.

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