Carignan is feeling the love of a vine romance
The carignan grape has gone from boom to bust. Once the most planted grape in France in the 20th century, it then fell from favour and growers ripped out their carignan vines replacing them with the more popular merlot. Now it is coming back into favour again.
“Carignan is known as the bad boy of the Languedoc,” says Katie Jones of Domaine Jones, an Englishwoman who owns 100-year-old carignan vines in Maury, Roussillon.
“This black grape was once prized for its high yields, which made rather average wine and often disappeared into blends,” says Jones. “Now carignan is seeing something of a renaissance as growers realise that old bush vine carignan and small yields make a lovely concentrated wine,” she says.
If yields are not contained, carignan can produce four times as much as cabernet sauvignon, so it is no wonder it infiltrated the Midi in postwar France, where it became the backbone of fitou and other southern French blends.
But it can be very awkward to grow. It ripens late so needs a warm climate, is susceptible to mildew and its stalks are so tough hand harvesting is essential. If yields are not kept low, it can make an unforgivingly tough and sometimes rather unpleasantly tannic high acid wine. Today there are around 300,000 acres of carignan in France, about half the amount grubbed up under the EU vine pull scheme in 1980s.
Now this much-maligned grape is seeing a change in its fortunes in France and across the world. It is believed to have originated from Aragon in Spain and is still found in Catalonia (called samso), Priorat and Rioja (mazuelo) – and in Italy on the island of Sardinia owned by the Spanish for four centuries (known as carignano) where it makes fine lush reds. In the New World, it has a following in South Africa, California, Mexico, Argentina and Chile.
Some producers like Jones of
Domaine Jones and American John Bojanowski and his French wife Nicole of Clos de Gravillas in Minervois are focusing on carignan as their signature grape as they believe in its potential.
“When we bought the property we found some very old carignan vines which had been planted in 1911,” says Bojanowski. “We learnt that carignan treated seriously and respectfully returns the favour planted on our rocky limestone soils,” he says.
Languedoc Roussillon, France: Alain Grignon Carignan Vieilles Vignes 2016
Dark, inky rugged version of carignan from Langeudoc. Quite meaty with a luscious cherry fruit character for the price. Made from 40-year-old vines grown in Herault.
£6.99/£7.99, Majestic Wine
Languedoc Roussillon, France: Soif De Plaisir 2010
This is not 100 per cent carignan, but it is a stunning blend of 73 year old carignan with syrah and grenache from schist soils of Agly valley in Maury. Mellow earthy bouquet, forest fruits, complex, silky smooth, rounded with good finish. Very good. £15.99, Raeburn Wines, Edinburgh
Languedoc Roussillon, France: Le Carignan Mont Baudile 2013 Domaine Auphilac
From 60 to 80-year-old carignan vines grown on clay limestone in Montpeyroux. Enticing bouquet with liquorice and smoke, but lacks complexity, tannic finish and prominent alcohol.
£16, www.thewinesociety.com
Languedoc Roussillon, France: Clos Du Lo Vielh Carignan De 100 Anns 2015 Clos du Gravillas
Earthy, leathery, rich liquorice flavours and complex fine tannins. A superb example of 100 per cent old vine carignan from a two hectare plot, made by American John Bojanowski in Minervois. £22, Les Caves de Pyrene, www.lescaves.co.uk; www. noblegreenwines.co.uk
Maule, Chile: De Martino Old Vines Carignan 2014
The discovery of 70 year old carignan vines in Maule Valley has been exciting for Chile – and this is definitely the best carignan from South America. De Martino’s version from dry farmed vineyards is very ripe making deliciously dense chewy concentrated wines.
£12, Marks & Spencer
Montsant, Spain: Tierras Coloradas Old Vine Carignan 2015
Made from 40 year old carignan vines in a simpler style with cherry and damson fruits, creamy, prominent tannins and slightly bitter finish.
£10.49, Waitrose
Swartland, South Africa: Spice Route Terra De Bron Carignan 2014
Rich, ripe, lush, spicy single vineyard Cape carignan from 17-year-old vines with fine tannins and a smooth finish – made by Charles Back of Fairview in his Swartland winery at Klein Amoskuli. £19.99, Fine Wine Co, Musselburgh
Sardinia, Italy: Porta Flavio Carignano Del Sulcis 2015 Calasetta
A fascinating example of carignan from 150 year old vines. Bouquet enchants with mulberry, spice, lovely rounded flavours, lush, velvet smooth, palate finishes with tannic edge. ■ £9.99, reduced from £14.99, www.laithwaites.co.uk