Ampelographers
believe that Carignane originated in the village of Cariñena in the province of
Zaragoza in the Autonomous region of Aragon in northeast Spain. It is
interesting to note that Cariñena has been designated European Wine City 2025
in part due to its historical importance in Viticulture dating back to Roman
times. Carignane hails from a region steeped in wine and viticulture. It is
logical that in ancient times Carignane was respected and a popular grape to
grow. Carignane is a very strong producer capable of yielding over ten tons per
acre. It is also known for its tremendous color, high acidity, and tannin, all
characteristics that make it attractive as a blending grape. It has
historically been a component in Rioja blends. Furthermore, it is a very sturdy
vine capable of supporting itself, an important factor when wire and trellises
were two millennia in the future. The first Carignane vineyard I visited was on
the banks of the Napa River just south of St. Helena in the late 1980’s I
thought I was in an orchard. The vines with trunks close to a foot in diameter
towered over me. And the grower did mention that his crews had to employ
ladders when harvesting the grapes.
Although
France is the leading producer of Carignane, it is a well-traveled red grape
with significant plantings in Spain, Italy, and North Africa Tunisia, Morocco,
and Algeria In the new world there are plantings of Carignane in Mexico, Chile,
Argentina, Uruguay as well as Washington and California.
At
some point Carignane was introduced to colonial Algeria where it became a high
yielding ‘workhorse’ producing wines that were exported to France to add color
and weight to French wine blends. After the Phylloxera scourge wiped out
virtually all of Europe’s vineyards in the mid to late 19th century
Carignane was a popular choice to replant the devastated vineyards especially
in the South of France. These plantings grew again when Algeria gained its
independence in 1963. By 1988 Carignane became the most widely planted grape
variety in France with 410,000 acres. By way of comparison, California
currently has a total of 610,000 acres planted to wine grapes. Carignane held
the number one position in France until 2000 when it was surpassed by Merlot.
We
have access to a tiny plot of Carignane planted in 1933 by Joe Aparicio and his
father on a small vineyard on Ridge Road just outside of Sutter Creek.
Production varies dramatically from a low of 67 cases to as much as 226 cases.
One thing that is consistent is the quality of the resulting wine. This is our
first selection for the Explorer’s Club, and we trust that you will enjoy the
opportunity to experience some viticultural history along with the wine.
