La Grange’s 2015 American Carmenere

I got 2 2015 and one 2016 Carmenere at some package distribution or pickup event some time back, I cannot remember when.  I’d been holding on to them because I’m pretty sure my sister and brother-in-law will love them.  I hadn’t tasted it in about 10 months, and I see what I was missing.

This is a dark and rich wine.  There is a ton of dark fruit in it, and I get blackberry and cherry down in there.  Maybe something else too – currant?  Note: I did use the aerator on this wine, and it really did change the character of it, so be sure to decant or aerate it.  It’s a heavy grape and that opens it up a ton.

Tonight was a fast dinner night, so husband made turkey tacos, and a glass before and a glass after went well with laundry and work.  It’s really drinkable.

As I recall from the event where I bought the Carmenere, the 2016 is a very different character.  I’m hopeful that I can open the other 2015 and the 2016 side by side to compare them – I think that will be a lot of fun.

The grapes are not Virginia, but the winery is.  Since it labels the wine as American, I’m betting California, or more likely Washington state, as La Grange seems to source a lot of grapes from Washington state.  Nonetheless, it’s a well done wine that I think will age well!