The Carmenère offers something a bit different and the Pinot has great complexity that belies the price tag, it’ll beat any Burgundy at the same price.
Casablanca was at the heart Chile's search for terroir in the 1980s. Due to the conditions it was deemed unsuitable for traditional agriculture and relegated to pasture land. However, these conditions are ideal for grapes and over the past 25 years the valley has become well mapped and growers have determined which varieties work best in each area. Exploration continues and it’s definitely worth keeping an eye on.
Carmenère
Carmenère is known as the lost grape of Bordeaux. It was widely planted in France until the Phyloxera epidemic in the 19th Century when it was wiped out. Its only significant plantings remain in Chile. Originally thought to have been a lost variety, it was rediscovered in Chile. Closely resembling Merlot, it was vinified and sold as Merlot! It has only been in the last few years that wineries have been making and selling Carmenère as a wine in its own right.