{"id":1872,"date":"2018-03-08T16:52:07","date_gmt":"2018-03-08T16:52:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.winetraveler.com\/uncategorized\/carignan\/"},"modified":"2019-11-20T10:44:09","modified_gmt":"2019-11-20T15:44:09","slug":"carignan-wine-grape-characteristics","status":"publish","type":"grape","link":"https:\/\/www.winetraveler.com\/grape\/carignan-wine-grape-characteristics\/","title":{"rendered":"Carignan"},"content":{"rendered":"

Carignan Wine & Grape Variety Characteristics<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Carignan<\/strong> (also known as Mazuelo<\/strong> and Cari\u00f1ena)\u00a0<\/b>is a black, red wine grape variety that is grown throughout the world, but is often used as a blending grape variety in noteworthy Spanish wine regions like DOCa Rioja<\/a><\/strong> and DOQ Priorat<\/a><\/strong>. \u00a0Carignan is believed to be native to Aragon, Spain. \u00a0However, it wasn’t until it gained notoriety in Algeria\u00a0hat it began to be exported in bulk to France. \u00a0Ultimately,\u00a0French winemakers in\u00a0Southern France began to plant their own vineyard plots widely with this variety where it still today thrives.<\/p>\n

\"Carignan<\/a>
Carignan wine grape clusters on the vine. Image courtesy Gourmandbreaks.com<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

While Carignan\u00a0vines are known to produce very large yields, it’s somewhat of a vulnerable wine grape variety in that it can be easily harmed by mildew and rot. \u00a0Carignan\u00a0must be grown in warmer climates for it to mature properly, where it often both buds late and ripens late. \u00a0It is a common belief that old vine Carignan tastes much better than young Carignan wine. \u00a0Priorat in particular grows and vinifies very fine Carignan from vines that now exceed 80 years of age.<\/p>\n

\n

RELATED: An Ideal 3 Week Itinerary for Visiting Spain<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

In the modern day wine world. the Carignan (Mazuelo) grape doesn’t get nearly the amount of attention it deserves, but is used extensively in a multitude of red wine blends, especially from regions like Languedoc-Roussillon<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Carignan Wine Taste and Characteristics<\/h3>\n

Characteristically, Carignan wine in the glass, as it exists in single varietal form (which is somewhat rare), is a richly colored, acidic and tannic wine<\/a> that some have criticized as being too bitter and rustic. \u00a0Because of these known generalities, you’ll be able to find Carignan,<\/strong>\u00a0Mazuelo<\/strong>\u00a0and Cari\u00f1ena\u00a0<\/b>more frequently as a blended variety rather than a single varietal wine. \u00a0In the glass, carignan is a deep and dark colored wine, with a deep purple hue and often crimson rustic attributes around the edges. \u00a0This is especially true for old vine Carignan.<\/p>\n

\"Carignan<\/a>
While I was recently in DOQ Priorat, Catalunia, Spain<\/a>, I was offered the opportunity to sample 80 year old vine Carignan from this beautiful region<\/a>. As you can see from this photo, Carignan in Priorat<\/a>\u00a0grows in slate and schist based soil, which really forces the Carignan grape to work for its nutriment in this terroir. Thus, Carignan here is flavor packed and very complex.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Carignan wine is almost always dry and tends to pack a bigger flavoric punch on the opening palate than on the close. \u00a0It tends to have bright acid, gritty tannins, bitter spice and dry herb notes over red and black fruit. \u00a0Because of its tannic content, expect to get a nice astringent mouth-feel<\/a> with this grape. \u00a0It works well in central and Northeastern Spain, where warm climates alongside shale and limestone based soil compositions add fine tuned minerality to Carignan varietal wines and blends. \u00a0You can expect medium to lengthy finishes, backed by leather saddle, olive, dry forest floor,\u00a0tobacco and burnt smokey brown sugar notes.<\/p>\n

Learn About These Other Wine Grape Varieties<\/span><\/h3>\n
Chardonnay<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n
Chenin Blanc<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n
Cabernet Sauvignon<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n
Grenache<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n
Malbec<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n
Marsanne<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n
Nebbiolo<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n
Petit Verdot<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n
Pinot Grigio<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n
Pinot Meunier<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n
Riesling<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n
Tannat<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n
Teroldego<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n

Written By Greig Santos-Buch<\/strong><\/p>\n

Greig Santos-Buch is a Co-Founder at Winetraveler.com and a WSET 2 Merit wine writer. He works with several brands focusing on experiential and immersive-style travel. In his spare time, you can find him hiking with a bottle of Cabernet Franc in his backpack or scuba diving trying to talk a reef shark into trying Swiss wine.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\n

Get Articles Like These Directly in Your Inbox!<\/h2>\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Subscribe to Winetraveler and receive notifications when new articles are published.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t