Discover Carignan’s journey from 12th-century Spain to the old vines of Chile’s Maule Valley. Learn about VIGNO and why this rustic red is making a comeback.

Today I want to introduce you to Carignan, an exciting grape with an interesting history. It originated in Spain, and at one point in the mid 20^th century it was the most common wine varietal in France. Yet, you would’ve been forgiven if you never heard of it. Currently, old vines are offering Carignan a chance of redemption in France, Spain, and Chile.

I’m thrilled to get started!

Carignan’s Spanish Origins

Cariñena is the name of the grape[1] in Spanish, and it’s also a town in Aragón. Yes, the grape is named after the town, and experts currently believe this is where the variety originates from.

We also believe it’s an old grape variety, because of how widespread Carignan is in Mediterranean wine producing regions.

Nowadays, Carignan in Spain is mostly planted in Catalonia[2]. Unfortunately, Garnacha (Grenache) plants have replaced Carignan in Cariñena and other Aragón vineyards. It’s also planted in Rioja, where it’s mostly used as a blending grape, although some producers are starting to see potential in featuring the grape in their wines.

Slowly, Carignan has been finding its place again. But that’s still far away. First…

Carignan Takes Over the Mediterranean

Right, so we’ve seen how Carignan started in Spain. And even though we know it’s an old variety, we don’t know when it first appeared because of natural cross pollination.

We do know, however, that Italians believed Carignan had Etruscan roots, because of how common it was in Italy. Interestingly, we now think that the grape was brought over to Sardinia and the south of Italy—at the latest—during the 15^th century, when those territories belonged to the Crown of Aragón.

From Italy, the grape continued marching through other Mediterranean countries in Europe, including Croatia and Greece. It’s likely that Carignan traveled to those countries shortly after it was introduced in continental Italy.

Before going to Italy, however, Cariñena spread to southern France, where it thrived. We don’t know for sure, but we firmly believe that this migration happened throughout the 12^th century. Interestingly, French agronomists took Carignan with them to their colonies in Algeria in the 1800s, but it was mainly used to supply France with cheap wine for inexpensive blends. Algeria gained their independence in 1962, and I’m happy to share that Carignan is still one of their main red wine varietals[3].

Carignan In the New World

Carignan was an important grape in France, so it makes sense that winemakers in the New World brought it over for their vineyards. This happened in the U.S. and Australia during the 19^th century. In California it was a major grape in the 20^th century, but plantings have declined in recent decades.

What About Chile?

In a previous article covering the history of wine in Chile I wrote about how we turned to France to help us with our wine industry[4]. So, you’d think that’s when Carignan arrived in Chile, right? Well, maybe, but records show that we brought the grape over after 1939.

See, we had a devastating earthquake in Chillán that year[5], severely damaging the wine industry in several wine regions, including Maule and Itata. Chile, again, turned to France for help, and winemakers brought over Carignan to help with regional red wine blends. We’re still making wine from those emergency vines.

Mostly Bulk Wine

Carignan is a late ripening grape, typically one of the latest ones to be harvested. It’s also resilient, vigorous, and produces high yields, which explains its popularity in the south of France to make inexpensive wines.

It typically makes rough wines with high tannins, perfect for blending. A humble wine. Why am I writing about it, then?

Old Vine Carignan

Remember those vines we brought over to Chile to reconstruct vineyards after an earthquake? Well, they’re still around. And they’re making phenomenal wines with them.

See, old vines are different. Because the plants are less vigorous, there’s less energy to go around. This results in lower yields, but with more concentrated and complex flavors.

Several winemakers in Maule have joined in a unified effort to maintain quality standards. Kind of like a nongovernmental D.O.C.[6], with regulations to follow if wineries want to label their wine as VIGNO, the name of the organization.

For a wine to have VIGNO on the label, it must be made with at least 85% Carignan, vines must be at least 30 years old, and grapes must come from Maule[7]. And I think we should be talking more about these wines. They really are fantastic.

Of course, VIGNO is a sign of quality, but you can find other wonderful Carignans not belonging to this group. You just might be taking a risk. The VIGNO label is safer.

What Kind of Wine Does Carignan Make?

Quick disclaimer, I’ll only be talking about old vine Carignan from Maule, because they’re the ones I know best.

Carignan is a juicy wine, with intense black fruit on the nose. It’s earthy, herby, and spicy. Both tannins and acidity are moderate, and you typically will get a long, pleasant finish.

This wine’s complexity is great for food. Mild game meat, like duck, goes great with it, as well as grilled meats, mushroom dishes, and some aged cheeses. Now, you know me better. Here we like pairing wine with mood instead.

Carignan is smoky, timeless, gritty. It’s the wine for a distorted guitar riff and gruffy vocals with social commentary. Think Bruce Springsteen, or—better—Money for Nothing[8]. This wine has the wonderful duality of being great for the first warm days of late summer promising better days, and also the first cool evenings of autumn, when a break from the day’s heat is welcome.

The Last Drop

Carignan, at least when made from old vines in Maule, is awesome. I only discovered it after I started seeing VIGNO labels popping up in my favorite wine stores and bars. It was curious to see the same name in labels from different wineries. I was familiar with the name, but only as a blending grape, so it took me a while to taste it. I was afraid it was going to be rough and tannic.

Turns out, I wasted a few years of not drinking this wonderful wine. It’s rough, all right. Rustic, you know? But also tasty, and fruity, and complex. It’s the wine that got me interested in old vines, so I’ll always be grateful to it.

Are you familiar with Carignan? And, specifically, have you had it from old vines? Let me know if you like this varietal!

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Footnotes

[1] It gets confusing with grape names, though. In Rioja, Aragón’s western neighbor, the grape is called Mazuelo.

[2] Particularly in places like Penedès and Priorat.

[3] Algeria was the fourth largest wine producer in the world while it was a French colony. The wine industry collapsed after the French left, but Carignan is still one of the most popular grapes planted in the country. You can read more about Algeria’s fascinating wine history here.

[4] They helped with sending experts and vines. Unfortunately, they took American vines back home, and with them, phylloxera. Go ahead, read the full article by clicking on the link above. It’s a good story.

[5] Chile, like California, gets hit by earthquakes often. Wine regions have suffered more than once because of this.

[6] Denominazione di Origine Controllata. Or A.O.C. (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée) in France. A set of regulations to control quality in region-specific wines. For instance, Chianti Classico must include a set percentage of Sangiovese, but they also regulate irrigation, geographical indications, and others.

[7] You can read more about VIGNO here.

[8] I’m, of course, talking about the great and catchy song by Dire Straits.

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Cover Image: An uncorked bottle of Carignan. Photo by George Paul Becker.