CARMENERE AND CHINA !

The same French ampelographer , Jean-Michel Bourisquot suggests that there might be more Carmenere planted in China than in Chile ! Addressing a conference in Santiago Chile on 27th November to celebrate the 20 years of recognition of Carmenere he said there were officially classified Carmenere vineyards in China making up 1,353 hectares . However he said there could be as much as 15,000 planted hectares but the grapes still have be officially certified as carmenere.

Chile has a little over 10,700 hectare so if the Chinese plantings are all carmenere then China would have about 50% more than Chile ! There is confusion in the Chinese plantings because of the use of various synonyms. Cabernet Gernischt is widely planted in China and this is a synonym for Carmenere. Initial studies in Chia suggested that Cabernet Gernischt was identical to Cabernet Franc, now DNA profiling of Cabernet Gernischt from Changyu winery has shown it is identical to Carmenere. I guess it is a case of “watch this space.” Much the same confusion exits in Italy which is supposed to have the third highest of Carmenere vines.