WTN: Carignan, na, na, nan, na, na, na, na, na, na

[David M. Bueker]

2015 Bedrock Wine Co. Carignan Heritage Wine Vineyard Under the Mountain - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Clara County (11/16/2020)
Merging the Bedrock house style and a petulant grape like Carignan was always going to me a bit of a wrestling match, and so it is here. Initially lush and pliant, the inherent crankiness of Carignan quickly assets itself with kaleidoscopic herb, pine, and tart fruit elements that jut out like spikes on a caltrop. It’s an interesting combination of pleasure and pain, gentle tones alternating with shaper jabs. Enlightening to drink on its own, this seems better suited as part of a blend, where its prominent features add texture to an overall weave.

I've not had Bedrock's example (don't think it's crossed the pond) but I'm quite taken with Carignan, a variety that was loftily dismisses as worthless when I was learning about wine all those years ago.

My moment was attending a tasting of wines from the Chilean VIGNO movement, dry farmed old vines from Maule Valley in Chile, and when I've seen a bottle labelled VIGNO I buy it.

Dirt cheap and good value is 3C, named after the grape Cariñena (i.e Carignan), from the region of Cariñena and the PDO Cariñena.

Recently I have been enjoying (French) Born to be Wine - a pun on the Springsteen song Born to be Wild. The pun doesn't work for me, but they have a really nice brief video of their vineyards and people https://youtu.be/U9CFiHxtMLY

(though the sharp eyed will spot they appear to be making red Carignan from green grapes

So, I like Carignan. And your post has made me decide to open one tonight, 2017 Undurraga Carignan Cauquenes from, Maule Valley

Old vine Carignan has become a quite fashionable taste amongst the French wine geek community. AFAIK 100% Carignan is not allowed in any appellation bearing an AOP designation but several producers make 100% cuvées using an IGP designation. An example of this is Domaine de L'Aupilhac's excellent Le Carignan IGP Mont Baudile, of which I have one bottle left.

In the appellation Corbières-Boutenac, Carignan is supposed to have a majority presence alongside Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah. The wines are potentially very characterful though many producers mask this by IMO an excessively sophisticated oak patina. In other Languedoc appellations Carignan's presence is increasingly felt; a good example in Minervois is Clos du Gravilas, belonging to Nicole and John Bojanowski (the latter is American), where the presence of Carignan is much vaunted. However I note that their most Carignan dominated cuvée Lo Viehl de 100 ans bears the designation IGP Côtes de Brian.

Probably the best Carignan dominated wine which I have had was Sardinian not French. It was Terre Brune 1994 Vino da Tavola di Sardegna – Cantina Sociale Santadi drunk in 2008 (TN in archive) - 80% Carignano. It was rich, velvety and elegant and after 14 years had integrated the oak patina which I had found somewhat obtrusive at a younger age.

AFAIK 100% Carignan is not allowed in any appellation bearing an AOP designation

Ah! that will explain something which puzzled me. Although the 'Born to be Wine' comes from a specific organic vineyard, it has the basic Vin de France classification.

[David M. Bueker]

I've not had Bedrock's example (don't think it's crossed the pond) but I'm quite taken with Carignan, a variety that was loftily dismisses as worthless when I was learning about wine all those years ago.


Recently I have been enjoying (French) Born to be Wine - a pun on the Springsteen song Born to be Wild. The pun doesn't work for me, but they have a really nice brief video of their vineyards and people https://youtu.be/U9CFiHxtMLY

The Bedrock was a recent release to the mailing list (April 2020) of an experiment. It was not released into distribution anywhere from what I know. Morgan Twain-Peterson talks about the wine a little bit on a recent Bedrock Wine Co podcast.

And Born to be Wild is Steppenwolf, not Springsteen.

And Born to be Wild is Steppenwolf, not Springsteen.

Both start with 'S' Yes, thinking now, Springsteen was born elsewhere

[David M. Bueker]

Elsewhere?

Jersey!!

Elsewhere?

Jersey!!

Didn't he sing 'Born in the USA?'

[David M. Bueker]

Elsewhere?

Jersey!!

Didn't he sing 'Born in the USA?'

And Born to Run