Carignan: Back to Winemaking – Back to Grapes – Back to Countries
Top thirteen grapes:
Reds – Cabernet Franc – Cabernet Sauvignon – Malbec – Merlot –
Whites – Chardonnay – Gewürztraminer – Muscat –
Pinot blanc – Pinot gris – Riesling – Sauvignon blanc
Next twenty-five grapes:
Reds – Barbera – Carignan – Gamay – Grenache – Mourvèdre – Petit Verdot –
Sangiovese – Tannat – Tempranillo – Touriga Nacional – Zweigelt
Whites – Albariño – Aligoté – Arinto – Chenin blanc – Malvasia –
Müller-Thurgau – Muscat-Ottonel – Sémillon – Tămâioasă Românească –
Traminer – Ugni-blanc – Viognier – Welschriesling
– and Cava
| Carignan A red grape variety from Spain, that is planted throughout the western Mediterranean and around the globe. it is a component of Rioja‘s red wine blend. However, Italian wine writers speculate that Carignan, known as Carignano was brought to the island of Sardinia by the Phoenicians in the 9th c BCE, then later spread around the Mediterranean by the ancient Romans. Ampelographers believe that the grape originated in Cariñena, Aragon and was later planted in Sardinia and elsewhere in Italy, It spread to Algeria, France, Algeria, and around the New World. It is DNA evidence that suggests a Spanish origin, and introduced to Sardinia between 1323-1720 CE when the island was Spanish ruled from Aragon. The European Union started an aggressive vine pull scheme that reduced plantings of Carignan in France from 167,000 ha in 1988 to 95,700 ha by 2000.  Image source: vindesoif.ca |
 Shoot tips Image: UC Davis Taste/smell: Red berries, spices, earthiness, liquorice, smoked and cured meats, herbal and animal notes. Varieties/Mutations A white grape mutation known as Carignan blanc (aka Feher Carignan and Karinjan) and a pink-berried Carignan gris (aka Szuerke Carignan) both exist in Roussillon. In 2006, DNA profiling suggested a parent-offspring relationship between Carignan and the Rioja wine grape Graciano though it was not clear which is the parent and which the offspring. It has two recognised clones. | Description: Late budding and late ripening, it is often one of the last grapes to be harvested during a vintage. Its tendency to produce short shoots with clusters close to the trunk means that it is a difficult variety to harvest mechanically. It has medium-to-large compact clusters, Its berries are medium oval and dark purple-black  Image source: Wikimedia Commons Young leaves are yellowish green with a felty white surface and slight red margin. Adult leaves are five-lobed with a closed U-shaped petiolar sinus  Image source: Wikimedia Commons |
| Producing countries: Big Five Producers: (overall 42% of vineyards, 64% of wine production and 41% of wine consumption – OIV 2022) Spain: Aragon, Castilla y León, Catalonia, Valencia France: Corse, Languedoc, Provence, Rhone Italy: Sardinia, USA: California, Missouri, Texas, Washington Chile: Aconcagua, Maipo Valley, Southern Chile Next Ten Largest Producers: (with big five, responsible overall for 75% of vineyards, 88% of wine production, 64% of wine consumption – OIV 2022) Argentina: yes Australia: South Australia, China: some Germany: not detected India: not detected New Zealand: not detected Portugal: Alentejo, Tejo Romania: not detected South Africa: Swartland, Turkey: Aegean Others countries: Algeria, Croafia, Cyprus, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Tunisia, Uruguay, | Grape is also known as: Axina de Spagna, Babonenc, Babounenc, Blaue Shopatna, Blaue Sopatna, Blauer Carignan, Blauer Carignant, Boi Dur, Bois de Fer, Bois Dur (France), Bois dure, Bovale Grande (Sardinia), Bovale Grande di Spagna, Bovale Mannu, Bove Duro, Bove Duro di Spagna, Cafalan Cagnolaro, Cagnolaro tinto, Calignan, Carignan Crni, Carignan Frances, Carignan Mouillan, Carignan noir (France), Carignane (Californiia), Carignane Mouilla, Carignane noir, Carignane noire, Carignane violette, Carignanne, Carignano (Sardinia), Carignano di Carmignano, Carignena, Cariñano (Aragon), Cariñena (Aragon), Carinena Mazuela, Carinena negra, Catalan (France), Cencibel, Crignane, Crinana, Crujillon (Aragon), Crusillo, Girard, Girarde, Gragnano (Italy), Grenache du Bois, Grenache du Bois Dur, Karinjan, Karinyan, Kek Carignan, Legno Duro, Legno Duro di Portoferraio, Manuelo Tinto, Manzuela (in Rioja), Marocain, Mazuela, Mazuelo, Mollard (Rioja), Monestel (France), Mounesteou, Pinot Evara (Portugal), Pinot d’Evora, Plant d’Espagne, Plant de Lédenon (France), Pokovec, Pokovez, Roussillonen (France), Samsó (Catalonia), Samso Crusillo, Sanso, Soptna blau, Tinto Mazuela, Tinto Mazuelo, Uva di Spagna. |
Image source:
Carignan: Back to Winemaking – Back to Grapes – Back to Countries
Top thirteen grapes:
Reds – Cabernet Franc – Cabernet Sauvignon – Malbec – Merlot –
Whites – Chardonnay – Gewürztraminer – Muscat –
Pinot blanc – Pinot gris – Riesling – Sauvignon blanc
Next twenty-five grapes:
Reds – Barbera – Carignan – Gamay – Grenache – Mourvèdre – Petit Verdot –
Sangiovese – Tannat – Tempranillo – Touriga Nacional – Zweigelt
Whites – Albariño – Aligoté – Arinto – Chenin blanc – Malvasia –
Müller-Thurgau – Muscat-Ottonel – Sémillon – Tămâioasă Românească –
Traminer – Ugni-blanc – Viognier – Welschriesling
– and Cava
