🍇 Carignan
A red grape from France, known in Spain as Cariñena and Mazuelo; in Sardinia, the basis of Carignano del Sulcis.
Carignan is a red wine grape. The VIVC catalogue gives France as its country of origin and lists 104 synonyms: in Spain it is called Cariñena, Mazuelo or Samsó, in Italy Carignano. According to DNA markers, one of its parents is Castellana blanca; the other is unknown.
Carignan was once one of the most widespread grapes in France: according to VIVC, 211,254 ha were planted with it in 1968. Since then the area has fallen sharply, to 53,155 ha in 2009. According to the OIV, in 2015 France had about 33 thousand ha left, or 4.1% of its vineyards.
The grape also grows in Spain (6,130 ha in 2008, according to VIVC), Italy, Morocco, the United States and Israel. In the south of France it goes into the blends of many Languedoc and Roussillon appellations, and in Spain it shares its name with the Cariñena appellation.
In Sardinia it is used for Carignano del Sulcis, a DOC appellation since 1977. Under its rules, the wine has to contain at least 85% Carignan. Superiore wine is allowed only from bush vines, without trellises, and riserva and superiore are aged for at least two years, half a year of it in bottle.
Why it matters to you. Carignan, Cariñena, Mazuelo, Samsó and Carignano on a label are the same grape. The word superiore on Carignano del Sulcis means wine from bush vines with longer ageing. If a grape name appears on an EU wine, at least 85% of the wine is that grape. Red wines are served at 15–18 °C.
Facts
| Country | France 1 |
|---|---|
| Region | France: 211,254 ha (1968) → 53,155 ha (2009) 2; about 33,000 ha (2015) 3; Spain: 6,130 ha (2008) 2 |
| Main use | Red and rosé wines; the basis of Carignano del Sulcis (≥ 85%) 4 |
How it connects to Wine
🍇 Carignan → kind of → 🍇 Grape varieties → kind of → 🍷 Wine
Links
- Part of
- 🍇 Grape varieties
- Origin
- 🗺️ French wine
- Where it grows
- 📍 Languedoc, 📍 Roussillon, 📍 Priorat, 📍 Sardinia, 📍 Languedoc-Roussillon, 📍 Catalonia, 📍 Montsant, 📍 Empordà, 📍 Cariñena, 📍 Aragon
- Main grape in
- France: 📜 Collioure, 📜 Côtes du Roussillon, 📜 Fitou, 📜 Minervois, 📜 Saint-Chinian, 📜 Terrasses du Larzac, 📜 Corbières, 📍 Languedoc, 📜 Boutenac, 📜 Côtes du Roussillon Villages, 📜 Faugères, 📜 La Livinière
Spain: 📍 Cariñena, 📍 Empordà, 📍 Montsant, 📍 Priorat
Italy: 📜 Carignano del Sulcis - Wines made from it
- 🍷 Rosé
- Offspring
- 🍇 Argaman, 🍇 Clarin, 🍇 Olmo F 2-7, 🍇 Ruby Cabernet, 🍇 Morrastel Bouschet, 🍇 Carignan Gris
- Parents
- 🍇 Castellana Blanca
- Similar and different
- 🍇 Grenache
Frequently asked questions
What is Carignan?
A red wine grape from France; VIVC knows 104 of its synonyms, including Cariñena, Mazuelo and Carignano.
Is it true that Cariñena and Mazuelo are different grapes?
No. According to VIVC, they are synonyms of Carignan.
How much Carignan is there in France?
211,254 ha in 1968, 53,155 ha in 2009 (VIVC), about 33 thousand ha in 2015 (OIV).
What is Carignano del Sulcis?
A Sardinian DOC appellation (1977): at least 85% Carignan; superiore only from bush vines.
Who are Carignan's parents?
According to VIVC DNA markers, one parent is Castellana blanca; the other has not been identified.
What to read next
- 🗺️ French wine — The country's wine and winemaking: regions, grapes and appellations.
- 📍 Priorat — Steep slate slopes with concentrated reds.
- 🍇 Grenache — A red grape from Spain, where it is called Garnacha; the base of many wines in southern France.
- 📍 Languedoc-Roussillon — A vast Mediterranean region from Nîmes to the Pyrenees.
- 🍷 Rosé — Wine from dark grapes kept briefly with their skins, so the colour is pale pink.
Similar
🍇 Mourvèdre · 🍇 Grenache · 🍇 Caladoc · 🍇 Cinsaut · 🍇 Syrah · 🍇 Grenache Blanc
Sources
- VIVC (Vitis International Variety Catalogue): passport Carignan noir, area
- VIVC: area statistics CARIGNAN NOIR
- OIV Focus 2017: Distribution of the world's grapevine varieties
- MASAF: disciplinare di produzione DOC «Carignano del Sulcis» (DPR 01.06.1977)
- eAmbrosia — technical file: PDO «Carignano del Sulcis» (Ares(2014)1999015)
- eAmbrosia — technical file: PDO «Saint-Chinian» (Ares(2011)1305988)
- eAmbrosia — technical file: PDO «Fitou» (Ares(2011)1302922)
- eAmbrosia — technical file: PDO «Côtes du Roussillon» (Ares(2011)1373269)
- eAmbrosia — technical file: PDO «Cariñena» (Ares(2014)2153179)
- Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/33 — grape varieties on wine labels
- Simons C.T. Left out in the cold: Serving wines chilled. Temperature, 2019