Wine Focus October 2022: Orange Wine, Carignan and Port

2019 Domaine Reine Juliette Carignan Pays d`Oc.

Purchased for this months Focus, the only 100% Carignan I could find. 13.5% alc, $24 Cda, SC, served slightly chilled in my warm environment at home.

Winery owned by Guillaume Allies and family. Color is a deepish garnet, punchy nose of blackberries, raspberry, meaty. Initial entry thought is some tannins, good acidity with variuos red fruit flavors. Dryish on the finish, will be of interest to see how it holds overnight. Served with peri peri chicken wings.

[Jenise]

Bob, if that were served to you blind, what would you guess you were drinking? Grenache, maybe?

Yup, highly likely.

Bob, if that were served to you blind, what would you guess you were drinking? Grenache, maybe?

I don't think I would have guessed this 100% Carigan derived wine as coming from Grenache. I give two TNs showing how well it aged.

2013 Domaine d'Aupilhac Mont Baudile Le Carignan - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Mont Baudile (24/03/2021)
This has opened up further and has acquired more fragrance and mineral and spice complexity than I remember and noted in the bottle about 2 and a half years ago. The minerality and fresh acidity give it an elegance and class rare in Languedoc and which I can't recall from any other Carignan based wine. Very good.

2013 Domaine d'Aupilhac Mont Baudile Le Carignan - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Mont Baudile (27/09/2018)
Aupilhac is one of my favourite Languedoc estates and this is one of its most original and interesting wines though not necessarily the best. It is made exclusively from Carignan, a once decried grape but now increasingly appreciated, and therefore does not enjoy AOP status. It is medium/full bodied and darkly coloured showing a well developed nose, lively round fruit with a bramble touch, good depth, hints of tar and rubber (but less than in most Carignan dominated wine), fresh acidity and a porty note on the firm finish which did not cloy due to the balancing acidity. The back label claims that it is good for 10+ years ageing and I believe it. Very good.
Posted from CellarTracker

Thanks Tim..no real Carignan experience here.

2000 Vintage Porto, Graham's

Just made it under the wire for this Wine Focus. Still a deep purple color, but not inky or opaque. With a bit of time in the glass, it opens up with classic Graham's aromas, including the touch of acetone. In the mouth, there is just a whisper of tannin and full, well-balanced young Port flavors. Long finish. This wine is still showing very young, but if you like your Port on the ruby side of the spectrum, you won't be punished for opening this one now. Me, I'm going to give it at least five more years before I try it again. Double Larry Curly.

-Paul W.

[David M. Bueker]

Thanks for the note Paul. I was going to do a vintage Port, but for various reasons never got to it. Our Taylor Fladgate 20 Year was all I opened. It was as dependable as ever!

[David M. Bueker]

2019 Desire Lines Carignan Evangelho - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Contra Costa County (10/31/2022)
Wanted to open a Carignan based wine before the month was out, and this was at hand. Last tasted shortly after release two years ago, and to a great extent it remains consistent. It's still brightly red fruited, has some of the sappiness that marks Evangelho, and really leans on being both substantial and refreshing at the same time. It has to be the brightness of the Carignan that does that, leavening the undertow of the 10% Mourvedre. This leans much more on acid for structure than tannin. It's interesting to me that the wine has not moved at all in the last two years. Not sure if that means drink soon, or hold for however long.

2019 Bodegas San Alejandro Evodia Garnacha from Calatayud, Spain. A killer value with kirsch, blackberry, acacia flower, violet, and sandalwood notes give way to a medium to full-bodied soft finish. $22.99. Annual Best Bang for your Buck tasting downtown.

++++ooops wrong thread..LOL