Dinner Xara Lodge on the 26th of March 2024

This month was in the hands of my team and we went for Carménère .  This grape variety has its origins in the Medoc region of France where it was used mainly as part of a blend.  Although it seems most likely that this is an ancient variety, possibly brought to Bordeaux by the Romans, it is now rarely found mainly because of the Phylloxera epidemic and its new home is Chile where it was likely to have been confused with Merlot in the 19th century.  In Italy, something similar is claimed to have happened where growers thought they had planted Cabernet Franc and although it differed a bit from the other C. Franc vines they had, it was still cultivated and is still present and produces good wines in pure and as a blend in the North-East part of Italy.

 

Wine B which was the Santa Carolina Herencia scored the highest points with myself and the rest of the diners.  It was the highest rated and most expensive wine and so for once, price did reflect preference.  However wine A which was by far the cheapest did very well indeed and a few diners contacted me post event to ask to buy some – unfortunately we had bought all the stock available for our tasting

 

Xara did a good job even if not exceptional and a good time was had by all.

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Iro