Oh Grape Wine Blog

When you’re checking out a new wine you may read that it has been fermented or aged in oak… and you may be wondering what that even means, and how that will affect how the wine tastes? The perfect match…? For hundred of years oak has been used to ferment and store wine for practical reasons. But today, oak is still used in wine production because of the amazing texture, flavours and complexity that it can impart to wine. A stint of time in oak can simply transform a wine. However, not all wines will benefit from time in oak. For...

No relation to the Bonarda grape varieties of Italy, the Bonarda of Argentina is the same as Douce Noir, a grape that hails from the Savoie region of France. It also appears to be the same as France’s Corbeau and California’s Charbono. Confused yet?Bonarda is the second most planted black grape variety in Argentina, taking up around 8% of the total planted area. It is grown throughout Argentina but is concentrated in San Juan, La Rioja and the warmer parts of Mendoza. As a late-ripening variety, it is one of the last varieties to be harvested in the country.Wines made...

Historically used to make the staple Chilean ‘jug’ wine, País was brought to the Americas by Spanish settlers.Although around 75% of País vines in Chile have been pulled up since the 1980s with the trend for more well-known international grape varieties, it is seeing a bit of a revival with quality-driven producers making the most of its light and fruity character.País is mostly grown in the south of Chile now with good wines being made from old vines in Maule, Bío Bío and Itata.Soft plum and lots of red fruit (red currant, red cherry, raspberry) with a hint of chocolate, spice...

Flavourful, rich and dark, no wonder Malbec is a popular go-to on menus for many a wine drinker.Native to Bordeaux and at home in Cahors, France, Malbec was first propagated in Argentina in the mid-1800s. It can produce dark purple wines with flavours of dark fruit (blackberry, black cherry, plum), spices (clove, pepper, liquorice) and chocolate, and sometimes with a twists of violet.In Argentina, plantings of Malbec take up over 12% of the total vineyard area. It is grown throughout the wine regions, but the most popular spot is Mendoza, with some top quality wines coming from vineyards located at...

Carmenere (aka Carmenère, aka Carménère...) is a black grape variety which produces dark, full-bodied, intense and herbal red wines. Boom.Native to Bordeaux in France, Carmenere snuck its way to Chile in the mid-1800s amongst cuttings of Merlot. Now pretty much non-existent outside of Chile, it is the country's signature grape.Carmenere loves a warm and sunny climate and it ripens late in the growing season. As a result, its wines can be a bit TOO herbaceous and green if the grapes haven’t reached perfect ripeness.Often blended with other reds from Chile like Cabernet Sauvignon (adding perfume and juiciness), great single-variety Carmenère wines...