Carignan

Carignan is a black-skinned grape variety, most likely native to Spain. It is found along the Mediterranean coast, particularly in northeastern Spain and in France’s Languedoc-Roussillon region. It is used most commonly for blending with many of the region’s other key varieties – most famously Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre.
Carignan prefers warm, dry climates when the grape can express high tannins, acid and color. This makes it an excellent addition to red wine blends that have plenty of aroma and flavor, but lack body and depth of color. Carignan is only rarely made as a varietal wine, but the best examples can show characteristics of dark and black fruits, pepper, licorice, and spicy and savory accents.

Carignan is usually grown as bush vines, which require hand-harvesting as the vines’ stems are too tough for machines. It is a late-ripening variety that is known to produce high yields if not properly cropped. Old vines naturally restrict yields and produce the best Carignan.

Carignan was France’s most-planted grape variety from the 1960s-2000, but huge vine-pull schemes in the 1980s nearly halved the grape’s total acreage by the turn of the century.