THE BORDEAUX grape variety Carménère is extremely scarce in South Africa – less than 10ha of vines in total, of which there is less than a couple of hectares at the Doornbosch farm outside Bonnievale in the Robertson district, home of the Smuts family and their Lozärn range of wines. The first block of their Carménère was planted less than 10 years ago, a second in 2017.

For a time, the variety was mistaken for Merlot in parts of the world including Chile, where it has become more important to the national vineyard than is the case in France. The identity mixup was corrected in the 1990s, the Chileans have all but adopted the grape as their own, and today they produce most of the world’s top wines made from Carménère – now usually bottled as a single-varietal rather than as a blend of various Bordeaux cultivars. Lozärn was the first cellar in the Cape to make a wine from Carménère. “In terms of the actual berries, they look similar,” says winemaker Salóme Buys-Vermeulen, “but Merlot is a bigger bunch.”

“Carménère is extremely giving when it comes to colour,” she says. “Almost purple-black the minute it runs out of the press,” which “could develop in barrel to black olive, cocoa, chocolate.” And “the best part about Carménère is the spice-surprise on the palate: cardamom, nutmeg, cloves…”

LOZÄRN CARMÉNÈRE 2021
WO Bonnievale-Robertson. Harvested on 3 March 2021. Fermented over 11 days in small (1T) open-top tanks. 12 months in first- and second-fill oak barrels. 2600 bottles.
Alc 13 | RS 2.7 | TA 6.4 | pH 3.47
Winemaker’s Tasting Notes: A deep ruby red with notes of tea leaf and spices… Sour cherry and cigar box linger on a layered finish.
Food Pairing Recommendations: Duck, cherry jus… pork belly… chocolate fondant!
R510pb ex-cellar, Bonnievale.

Also in this series:
• AA Badenhorst Sout van die Aarde Palomino
• Ayama Vermentino
• Bosman Nero (d’Avola)
• DaschBosch Avon Clairette Blanche
• Diemersdal Grüner Veltliner
• Kloovenburg Lledoner Pelut
• Lemberg Hárslevelü
• Lowerland Tolbos Tannat
• Newton Johnson Albariño
• Stellenbosch Vineyards Ltd Release Therona