Carignane

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For the town in France, see Carignan, Ardennes.

Carignane (in American English; Spanish Cariñena, Italian Carignano, French Carignan, Catalan Carinyena) is a Spanish variety of grape that originated in Cariñena, Aragon and was later transplanted to Sardinia, elsewhere in Italy, France, Algeria, and much of the New World.

Carignane is responsible for huge quantities of mediocre or poor wine; nevertheless, when it is grown on a slope, to lower the yield, as is done in Sardinia, or grown on very old, low-yielding vines, as in parts of California, it can produce a wine with good body, color, and character with a characteristic harshness and astringency that diminishes with age.^{[citation needed]} In California, the grape is not often used to make varietal wines, but producers such as Ravenswood, Cline and Mayo Family Winery make notable varietals from old vines.

It is often blended with Cinsaut, Grenache, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Mourvèdre, Merlot, and/or many other grapes, especially in the Languedoc region of France, where it is very widely planted but now on the decline. It has an upright growth habit and can be grown without a trellis. It was crossed to Cabernet Sauvignon to give Ruby Cabernet.

[edit] See also

• Spanish wine
• French wine
• California wine