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Carignan

So, I'm back from the Northern California wine country, schlepping 24 bottles of mostly reds in carry-on baggage. I am especially interested in the less usual (at least to me) varieties, such as those that are usually used in blending but have had a good season and are being bottled alone (there's a 1997 Valdiguie from Hop Kiln I would almost kill for, but that's what dreams are made from!). In any case, I brought two bottles of 2004 Carignan from Pellegrini family vinyards which I thought was very fine, and being curious about the grape, looked it up in the Oxford Companion to Wine. Well, they have nothing nice to say about the carignan grape at all! ("they"? - it's probably one person writing the article).

I sure intend to enjoy it, but do any of you have thoughts on the grape, the wine, or the winery? How long would you lay it down for? What would you have with it? (alas, I don't take very good notes on my wine tasting trips, and they get worse as the trip goes on! :)

Jose

Reply to
Jose
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Jose, One of the better reference points for Carignan(e) is the Midi in S. France, where some people make some very interesting old vine Carignane. My impression is of brambly blueberries and, in my limited experience, they age reasonably well (5-10 years). Of course, I can't say how that might relate to what you've got in your bottle, but I would say serving it with a rustic stew or lamb would be a decent match.

HTH Mark Lipton

Reply to
Mark Lipton

Excellent. Of course, you have some experience n this... ;-)

Carignan also belnds well with some of the more noble grapes in the south, adding freshness and acidity in the most sundrenched areas. See Tempier for a great example of what 10% of Carignan will do.

Also bear in mind that the south ALWAYS blends grape varieties (I know the Vin de pays are trying to adress the single variety market, but they are not representative at all). Loire does chenin, Burgundy does chard or PN, but Bordeaux does 3 grapes, and Languedoc or southern Rhone blend at least 3 grape varieties, and that is whre Carignan fits so well

Reply to
Mike Tommasi

Carignano is grown widely in Sardegna. I believe these are related grapes. Rocca Rubia is excellent.

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Reply to
UC

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