I'm just making the deadline for my very first Wine Blogging Wednesday. If you're not familiar with it, it's an online wine tasting that Lenn Thompson of Lenndevours began in 2004. One wine blogger is tasked with picking a theme (such as Unoaked Chardonnays or New World Rieslings), and over the course of a month, wine geeks around the Web pick a bottle and write up their notes. Dr. Vino picked this month's theme: Go Native - Indigenous Grape Varieties. The only catch? We were instructed to avoid "The Big 6" grape varieties (Riesling, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Pinot Noir).

There were quite a few wines that I considered, but I ultimately decided on a wine I knew I enjoyed but hadn't tasted in quite some time: the MontGras Reserva Carmenère 2004. Now, perhaps I'm cheating a little with this assignment because Carmenère is originally from the Médoc region in Bordeaux. A Phylloxera outbreak in 1867 nearly wiped out all European vineyards and hit Carmenère vines particularly hard. For years people thought the variety was extinct, however this was far from the truth. In the 19th century, Chilean growers imported the cuttings, though the vines were frequently confused with Merlot. Carmenère vines thrive in Chile's warm, dry climate and these days you might say it's become the country's signature variety.

But back to the task at hand. I happily cracked open the bottle and was treated to wafts of cherry and dark fruit on the first nose. A couple swirls really brought out the bouquet on this wine: heady mint, a bit of cherry cordial (I swear I got a little chocolate there), and spice. This is one of those wines that I could sniff all afternoon. I've found myself sticking my nose back in the glass just to get one more whiff. The color is a beautiful deep purple.

Onto the tasting. Although this is a dry, earthy wine, I still found a lot of the fruit coming through along with spice, pepper, and lots of oak. I found the tannins to be well-balanced, perhaps just a little bit much though not enough to affect my enjoyment; however I have heard people say that they found them to be a bit heavy. The finish was nice - I would call it medium-long. Overall, I really enjoy this wine, especially for the price: $10.99. Although it's inexpensive, I feel that it's one that definitely holds it own and can stand up to a little time (thanks to the tannins).

The wine was aged for nine months in 100% lightly toasted French oak, and at 13.9% alcohol, no one should take issue. It's blended with a bit of Malbec (8%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (6%) to add a bit of fruit and a bit of structure.

I drank this alongside a hearty beef stew, but I think it would be better suited to a nice steak or perhaps even duck. The MontGras Carmenère 2004 was awarded a silver medal at the 2005 International Wine & Spirit Competition in the U.K. and Wine Enthusiast rated it 86 points - Best Buy in March 2006. I think it's a great buy and would recommend it.