Le Dix de Los Vascos 2009 MS en Bouteille au Domaine + Carménère

Le Dix de Los Vascos 2009 MS en Bouteille au Domaine

Le Dix de Los Vascos 2009 MS en Bouteille au Domaine, Domaines Barons de Rothschild [Lafite]

What a great flavor, as I enjoyed reflections of family and my November Thanksgiving foray into North Carolina (via Detroit), then back via Atlanta into San Francisco.. What a fun adventure, what a delicious wine to enjoy for these times of reflection and sharing.

When I worked at Robert Mondavi Winery, my brush of fame was with Robert Mondavi as the first degree of separation from the Rothschild family… Robert and the Baroness Philippine Mathilde Camille de Rothschild got together to create Opus One. That was our sister winery across the street from the Mondavi facility. What a delicious wine to tie all of this together in my life of wine musings. This is an excellent wine, if you like black fruit first, and your tannins at the back end… to remind you of its youthfulness.

I got lucky with this spicy one. The dark fruit was rich and inviting; the nose spoke of black berries and red fruit. The palate delivered everything that the nose and visuals led me to believe. The finish was long and lingering, like my memories. If you like Cabs, this one will satisfy you greatly.

It’s produced in limited quantities of 5,000 to 8,000 cases. (PERSPECTIVE: Considering the production numbers for most big wineries, and with this wine being placed around the world, this is a small amount of wine to go around.) The 2009 vintage blend is Cabernet Sauvignon (by more than 85 percent), Syrah, and Carmenère. It was aged for 18 months in new barrels (by 100 percent). Although, it’s not stated the origin of the oak, one should assume that it’s French, just from the name and origin of Lafite.

[Image of Carménère – Merlot comparison is gratis of Wikipedia.]

As I read that Carménère is in the blend of this one, I thought about how little is known worldwide about this grape, so I’m inspired to share a bit of information on Carmenère… Seeing it as part of the blend, I was reminded of things which are worth sharing. (Not all of you who read my blog are in the wine business. Although many of you are, those who aren’t are here to gain a bit of insight, I know.)

The 10 best things about Carmenère

1. Carménère is Chile’s “signature” grape variety.
2. Carménère is one of the deepest, darkest, purplest of all red grape varieties (Petite Sirah also fits into this category).
3. It was originally planted in the Médoc region of Bordeaux, France.
4. The grape is also known as Grande Vidure.
5. Carménère is considered one of the original six red grape varieties of Bordeaux.
6. It’s a member of the Cabernet family of grapes.
7. The name “Carménère” originates from the French word “carmin.” English translation is “crimson. “
8. Chile has the world’s largest area planted of Carménère.
9. Other areas where Carménère is grown in the world:
   1. Italy’s Eastern Veneto
   2. Friuli-Venezia Giulia
   3. California
   4. Walla Walla Valley of Washington State
   5. New Zealand
10. Cuttings of Carménère were imported by Chilean growers from Bordeaux, during the Nineteenth Century.

For more info on Chilean wines, your best resource is the Wines of Chile Website.