Carignan

VIVC records Carignan under the prime name Carignan Noir, variety number 2098, with a black berry skin, France as its country or region of origin, and a pedigree confirmed by markers of Castellana Blanca crossed with an unknown second parent. Jancis Robinson, by contrast, writes that "Carignan's origins are presumed Spanish". The place of origin is disputed between France and Spain. VIVC-derived lineage data list Maturana Blanca and Verdejo as half-siblings of Carignan, each sharing Castellana Blanca as a parent.

• Prime name: Carignan Noir; variety number 2098; berry skin black (noir)
• Origin: disputed between France and Spain
• Parents: Castellana Blanca and an unknown second parent (pedigree confirmed by markers)
• Half-siblings: Maturana Blanca and Verdejo, via Castellana Blanca

In Spain, Carignan was long since supplanted by Garnacha (Grenache) in Cariñena in Aragón, and today it is much more common in Catalonia. In Sardinia, where it is called Carignano, Jancis Robinson links its arrival to Aragon's domination of that part of the Mediterranean. Vine growers returning from Algeria, the so-called pieds noirs, already knew how successful Carignan had been in the hotter, drier vineyards of North Africa, and by the mid 1960s they had transformed the Languedoc into a sea of Carignan vines. Carignan was the single most common vine variety planted in France until Merlot overtook it at the end of the 20th century. As growers in the south of France took EU grants to pull up vines, Carignan was the obvious candidate, and much of the Carignan that remains tends to be relatively old.

• Spain: long since supplanted by Garnacha in Cariñena, Aragón; now much more common in Catalonia
• Sardinia: known as Carignano
• Languedoc: by the mid 1960s, growers returning from Algeria had made it a sea of Carignan vines
• France: the most common vine variety until Merlot overtook it at the end of the 20th century; much of what remains is relatively old

Carignan ripens late, so it can be grown successfully only in relatively warm climates. In Languedoc-Roussillon, wines such as Minervois, Corbières, Faugères, Fitou, Languedoc and St-Chinian all specify a certain minimum proportion of Carignan in the blend, although this proportion has been declining as more Carignan is pulled out. In Catalonia it is known as Samsó, including in Priorat, where old bush vines on llicorella schist can yield wines of real concentration and interest, invariably blended, mainly with Garnacha. Carignan and Grenache are the two recommended red varieties of DOQ Priorat. As Mazuelo, it has been grown in Rioja for several centuries. In Sardinia, Carignano del Sulcis comes from the island's traditional south-western zone. In Chile's Maule region, Vigno wines come from old, dry-farmed Carignan in the secano interior, where there is no irrigation.

• Languedoc-Roussillon: Minervois, Corbières, Faugères, Fitou, Languedoc and St-Chinian specify a minimum proportion of Carignan
• Spain: Samsó in Priorat, with old bush vines on llicorella schist; Mazuelo in Rioja
• Sardinia: Carignano del Sulcis DOC in the island's south-west
• Chile: dry-farmed old vines in Maule's secano interior

Carignan wine is typically high in rough tannins and acidity. Old-vine Carignan fully ripened on infertile soils in a warm summer is a different proposition: yields have been restricted, and there is enough ripe fruit character to mask the naturally high tannins and acidity. In Sardinia, Santadi's Carignano del Sulcis reds are warm and spicy, most of them matured and polished in small oak barrels.

• Structure: typically high in tannins and acidity
• Old vines on infertile soils: enough ripe fruit to mask the tannins and acidity
• Sardinia: warm, spicy Carignano del Sulcis reds, mostly matured in small oak barrels

In southern France, the softening vinification method of carbonic maceration routinely has to be used so that wines made from Carignan can be drunk reasonably young. In carbonic maceration, whole grapes are placed for a few days in a closed tank whose atmosphere comprises carbon dioxide. The aim is a red or rosé wine that is more supple, less acidic and fresher, with a better expression of varietal aromas. In the vineyard, the vine is exceptionally productive, regularly yielding as much as 200 hl/ha, more than four times as much as decent Cabernet Sauvignon. In the remaining vineyards of North Africa, extremely old Carignan vines have had their natural tendency to over-produce curbed by age.

• Carbonic maceration: whole grapes held for a few days in a closed tank filled with carbon dioxide
• Aim: a more supple, less acidic, fresher wine with a better expression of varietal aromas
• Yield: regularly as much as 200 hl/ha
• Old vines: age curbs the natural tendency to over-produce

Jancis Robinson lists among particularly successful Carignans Domaine Bertrand Bergé's Les Mégalithes in Fitou, Domaine de l'Aupilhac's Le Carignan, and Clos Manyetes from Clos Mogador and Val Llach in Priorat. In Sardinia, she calls the Santadi co-operative the prime producer of Carignano del Sulcis, with Terre Brune the most famous of its wines and Rocca Rubia "one of the wine world's bargains". In Chile, Vigno, or Vignadores de Carignan, is a group of wineries dedicated to the revival of Carignan in Maule; it was the brainchild of pioneers led by Andres Sanchez of Gillmore, and its members include Miguel Torres, Undurraga and Valdivieso. In California, where the variety is grown as Carignane, Jancis Robinson rates Ridge's examples as creditable.

• France: Domaine Bertrand Bergé (Fitou), Domaine de l'Aupilhac (Le Carignan)
• Spain: Clos Manyetes from Clos Mogador, and Val Llach, in Priorat
• Sardinia: Santadi co-operative, with Terre Brune (Carignano del Sulcis DOC Superiore) and Rocca Rubia (Carignano del Sulcis DOC Riserva)
• Chile: Vigno, led at the outset by Andres Sanchez of Gillmore, with members including Miguel Torres, Undurraga and Valdivieso; at least 65% Carignan from dry-farmed vines at least 30 years old

Much of the Carignan that remains in France tends to be relatively old, and some Languedoc producers even make a feature of their old-vine Carignan, most notably in the hills of the Corbières and in Montpeyroux. Carignan remains central to Montpeyroux's identity, supported by Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah. In Chile, the idea behind Vigno was to preserve and celebrate old-vine Carignan in Maule. Miguel Torres describes Vigno's objective as improving the positioning of the Maule Valley with character wines from old vines planted under dry conditions.

• Old vines: much of the Carignan that remains is relatively old
• Languedoc: old-vine Carignan is a feature in the Corbières hills and Montpeyroux
• Chile: Vigno set out to preserve and celebrate old-vine Carignan in Maule

Primary sources: https://www.vivc.de/index.php?r=passport%2Fview&id=2098 ; https://www.vivc.de/index.php?var=2098&r=eva-analysis-mikrosatelliten-abstammungen%2Findex ; https://www.masaf.gov.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeAttachment.php/L/IT/D/1%252Fa%252Fe%252FD.8495fb8195fb9f88e44b/P/BLOB%3AID%3D4625/E/7z?mode=download (Carignano del Sulcis disciplinare) ; https://www.doqpriorat.org/en/varietals/ ; https://riojawine.com/en-us/the-designation/grape-varieties/mazuelo/ ; https://www.oiv.int/standards/international-code-of-oenological-practices/part-ii-oenological-treatments-and-practices/grapes/carbonic-maceration ; https://www.aupilhac.net/domaine-aupilhac-vins-rouges/ ; https://www.torres.es/en/wines/miguel-torres-chile/cordillera-vigno-carignan ; https://www.cantinadisantadi.it/vino/terre-brune/ ; https://www.cantinadisantadi.it/vino/rocca-rubia/ Reference sources: https://www.jancisrobinson.com/learn/grape-varieties/red/carignan ; https://www.decanter.com/wine-news/concha-y-toro-joins-old-vine-carignan-club-in-chile-870/ ; https://www.decanter.com/wine-news/languedocs-montpeyroux-gains-cru-status/ Last verified 2026-10-19