1/5
SweetnessDrySweet
The grape archive
Carignan
Carignan
In a blind Wineflight, we look for blackberry, plum and herbs, followed by fresh acidity, noticeable tannin and a medium-to-full body. That combination of aroma and structure provides the most useful clues.
Typical flavour register
01Blackberry02Plum03Herbs04Spice05Savoury
In the glass
A visual taste profile.
These scales describe a representative dry expression. Climate, harvest date, yields and winemaking can move an individual wine in another direction.
4/5
AciditySoftFresh
3/5
TanninSilkyFirm
4/5
BodyLightFull
4/5
FruitSavouryFruit-led
Where it grows
From origin to the wider vineyard.
The first country is the grape’s principal reference point; the remaining countries show important established cultivation rather than a complete planting census.
Spain
Core countryCariñena · Priorat · Calatayud
France
EstablishedLanguedoc · Roussillon
Three useful expressions
Fresh & fruit-led
Juicy fruit, moderate extraction and little oak emphasise immediate pleasure.
Classic regional style
The grape’s familiar balance of fruit, structure, spice and place.
Structured & age-worthy
Lower yields, selected sites and careful ageing build concentration and longevity.
Handling
Serve15–18 °C
GlassLarge red-wine glass
Decant30–60 minutes when young
Cellar2–12 years by style
At the table
Pair it by weight, freshness and aroma.
How we recognise this grape
We recognise Carignan by the contrast between dark fruit, high acidity and a distinctly savoury, herbal finish. Old-vine examples can be concentrated, but they should retain that Mediterranean freshness rather than taste merely heavy.
This is a practical tasting cue from our Wineflight experience, not a fixed recipe: origin, ripeness and winemaking can shift the profile.
Reference databases and further readingVIVC · Variety database ↗OIV · Vitivinicultural data ↗Wine Folly · Grape guide ↗