La Joya, Colchagua Valley (Chile) Carmenere 2011

I sampled this Carménère alongside a comparably priced and quite popular California Cabernet, and there was no doubt which was the superior wine.  The Californian tasted jammy and sickly sweet, while the Chilean offered secondary flavors resembling dried herbs and savory spice beneath its more dominant black fruit.  It was balanced and harmonious, unlike the Cabernet which had little if any structure.  Now these were just two wines out of thousands on the market, but the comparison supported something I’ve been saying for a number of years now:  If you want a value-priced Bordeaux varietal red wine, look to Chile first.