carignan RSS

carignan, france, st-chinian -

carignan

Carignan is one of my favorite grape varieties. It produces wines with a meaty, spicy, black fruit character, high acidity, and a firm tannic structure. It's great on its own and also contributes greatly to blends in southern France and eastern Spain, especially with Grenache/Garnacha. Winemakers across the world are beginning to realize the full potential of Carignan and there are some extremely exciting wines being made. But ... Carignan is a high-yielding variety and if those yields are unchecked the wines can be dilute and astringent. In the 1970s and 80s it was the most planted variety in both...

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carignan, cinsault, france, grenache, languedoc, mourvedre, provence, rhône, sardinia, syrah -

south of france

The south of France has always been a favorite place to visit for its beauty, its weather, its diverse geography, its food, and of course its wines. There's such a range of wines made, mostly red, but also plenty of rosé, a little bit of white, some fortified wine, and a small amount of sparkling. You don't have to venture far to try every style of wine—and at many different price points. rosé I've had rosé from the south of France in the club before, including from the famous village of Tavel and from Provence. Provençal rosé has transformed international...

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california, carignan, grenache, mediterranean, mourvedre, rhône, syrah -

california & the mediterranean

California is most famous for its Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir, but the wines I often find most exciting are those made from Mediterranean varieties, such as Carignan, Mourvèdre, Grenache, and Syrah. It makes complete sense that these varieties work, because, after all, California has a Mediterranean climate in common with southern France and eastern Spain. These varieties have been planted since the nineteenth century, but went by the wayside when the trend for Bordeaux and Burgundy varieties made California so successful internationally. Due to the price of land and of varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, producers are returning to...

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