November 24th wasn't just Thanksgiving, it was also National Carmenere Day. Wine lovers should be grateful as this French wine grape was once thought to be extinct.

Carmenere was once known as "the lost grape of Bordeaux". It was one of the handful of grapes from that region that combine to make the infamous Bordeaux style. But when the vine killing disease phylloxera hit France in the late 1800's many wine makers thought the grape was gone. Fortunately some traveling vintners had clipped some healthy vines and taken them with them as they journeyed to South America. New vines grew and farmers called the grape Chilean Merlot. In the 1980's a DNA specialist examined the grape and discovered that it was not merlot but was actually carmenere. Like merlot, this earthy red wine grape offers up notes of black cherry, plum and spice. It ages well and makes a fine blending grape or a satisfying rustic dry red wine on its own. It's affordable and tasty paired with holiday ham, prime rib or turkey.

A 21st century style worth sampling:

Casa Silva Los Lingues Vineyard 2013, Colchagua Valley, Chile