Grape · Spain / Southern France
Carignan / Cariñena / Mazuelo
kah-ree-NYAHN
Old vines, late ripening
Once the workhorse of the Languedoc and a Rioja blender. Old-vine Carignan from Priorat, Corbières, and Sardinia (Carignano) is inky, spicy, and serious.
- blackberry
- licorice
- dried herbs
- earth
- bitter cherry
Profile
Bodyhigh
Acidhigh
Tanninhigh
Sugardry
Young-vine Carignan on fertile land is acid and bitterness without fruit. Hundred-year-old bush vines on schist are a different species in practice: dense, floral, and long.
In Rioja it is Mazuelo, a seasoning grape. In Priorat, with Garnacha, it is half of a monument.
Cassoulet, grilled meats, and aged cheese.
At the table
Service
59–63 °F (15–17 °C).
