Carignan

Q: How do I recognize a good Carignan – what should I look for when buying?

The age of the vines is decisive: Vieilles Vignes or Old Vines on the label stands for vines that yield low quantities on nutrient-poor soils – and thus more concentrated wines. Origin also counts: Carignan from the Languedoc or from Sardinia often shows more character than simple cuvée stock.

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At a glance

Products: 6

The Carignan is a red wine variety with real character: deep dark in the glass, with aromas of blackberries, black cherries, and plums, as well as an unmistakable note of Mediterranean herbs. Long underestimated as mass-produced wine, it is experiencing a renaissance today – thanks to dedicated winemakers who craft concentrated, structured wines with vibrant acidity and powerful tannin from old vines on barren soils.

Originally from Aragon, Carignan is now primarily at home in the Southern French Languedoc and in Spain, where it is known by the name Cariñena. At Vinoscout, you will find over 20 carefully selected Carignan wines – from accessible entry-level wines to special rarities for explorers.

The same grape variety goes by other names depending on its origin. In this selection, you will also find it as Carignano, Carinena, and Mazuelo.

6 products

Gold

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Red wine bottle Carlos Serres Gran Reserva from Bodegas Carlos Serres

Spain

Rioja

Cuvée

Carlos Serres Gran Reserva 2018

Bodegas Carlos Serres

14,90 €

0,75 l

19,87 €/l

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Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial 1.5L 2012

Marqués de Murrieta

736,37 €

1,5 l

490,91 €/l

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Viña Arana Gran Reserva DOCa. 2017

La Rioja Alta

41,65 €

0,75 l

55,53 €/l

Nutrition

99

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Spain

Rioja

Cuvée

Gran Reserva 890 'Selección Especial' DOCa 2011

La Rioja Alta

245,50 €

0,75 l

327,33 €/l

Nutrition

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Spain

Rioja

Cuvée

Tarón Reserva DOCa Rioja 0.75L 2017

Bodegas Taron

14,27 €

0,75 l

19,03 €/l

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From 36,52 €

0,75 l

48,69 €/l

Nutrition

Other grape varieties

Aglianico Albariño Aligoté Arinto Arneis Auxerrois Bacchus Barbara Blauburger Blaufränkisch Bourboulenc Cabernet Blanc Cabernet Franc Cabernet Sauvignon548 Callet Cannonau Carignan31 Carmenère Carricante Catarratto Chardonnay668 Chenin Blanc Cinsault Clairette Codega Colombard Complexa Cortese Corvina Dolcetto Dornfelder Elbling Falanghina Fiano Folle Blanche Friulano Frühburgunder Gaglioppo Gamay Garganega Yellow Muscat Gewürztraminer Glera Graciano Pinot Gris Grechetto Greco Grenache Noir183 Grenache Blanc Grenache Gris Grillo Groppello Gros Manseng Grüner Veltliner Gutedel Inzolia Kerner Lagrein Lambrusco Lemberger Loureiro Macabeo Malbec Malvasia Nera Manto Negro Marsanne Marselan Marzemino Melon de Bourgogne Merlot292 Monastrell Monica of Sardinia Montepulciano Moscatel Moscato Moscato d'Alessandria Müller-Thurgau Muscadelle Muscat Muskattrollinger Nebbiolo Negroamaro Nerello Mascalese Nero d'Avola Nero di Troia Palomino Fino Parellada Passerina Pecorino Pedro Ximenez Petit Manseng Petit Verdot Pinot Bianco Pinot Blanc Pinot Grigio Pinot Gris Pinot Meunier Pinot Nero Pinotage Portuguese Prensal Blanc Primitivo Rabigato Refosco Regent Ribolla Gialla Riesling596 Rondinella Roussanne Sagrantino Sangiovese154 Sauvignon Blanc250 Scheurebe Semillon Silvaner Gray Souvenir Pinot Noir454 St. Laurent Syrah Tempranillo Tinta Barroca Torrontés Touriga Franca Touriga Nacional Trapiche Varietals Trebbiano Trebbiano di Lugana Trepat Trollinger Verdejo Vermentino Vernatsch Viognier Pinot Blanc Welschriesling Xarello Zinfandel Zweigelt

Quick answers

What is Carignan – and why is the grape variety currently experiencing a renaissance?

For decades, Carignan was the mass-produced variety of the south: high yields, little depth. What has changed: winemakers who left old vines on barren soils are now vinifying them into concentrated, structure-rich wines with real personality – deep dark, tannin-rich, with lively acidity.

How does Carignan taste – and what distinguishes it from other powerful red wines?

Blackberries, black cherry, plum – plus an unmistakable note of Mediterranean herbs like thyme and rosemary. What distinguishes it from Syrah or Monastrell: the lively, almost rugged acidity that keeps even heavy cuvées fresh.

Where does Carignan come from – and where is it grown today?

The variety has its origins in Aragon. Today, it is primarily at home in the Languedoc and in Catalonia. In Spain, it is called Cariñena or Mazuelo, on Sardinia Carignano – same grape variety, different expressions depending on soil and climate.

Which dishes does Carignan pair best with?

Due to powerful tannins and dark fruit, Carignan stands up well to hearty dishes: leg of lamb with herbs de Provence, grilled beef, mature goat cheese, or charcuterie from the south. Older vintages with softer tannins also pair well with game dishes.

How do I recognize a good Carignan – what should I look for when buying?

The age of the vines is decisive: Vieilles Vignes or Old Vines on the label stands for vines that yield low quantities on nutrient-poor soils – and thus more concentrated wines. Origin also counts: Carignan from the Languedoc or from Sardinia often shows more character than simple cuvée stock.

Is Carignan usually vinified as a single-varietal or as a cuvée?

Both are common. In the Languedoc, it is frequently blended with Grenache or Syrah to complement fruit and fullness. Single-varietal bottlings – especially from old vines – show most clearly what the variety can do: depth, structure, and that typical herbal spice.

Carignan – powerful, profound, underestimated

Carignan is a grape variety that long stood in the shadows – and that is exactly what makes it so interesting today. Those who engage with it will discover red wines with real substance: dark fruit, powerful tannins and a spicy, earthy depth that hardly any other variety delivers in this form. Well-made Carignan does not need to shy away from comparison.

Where Carignan is at home

The variety feels at home in Southern France – in the Languedoc, for example, where it often serves as the backbone of blends or shows what old vines are capable of as a single-varietal wine. Carignan is at least as convincing in Sardinia, where it matures into independent, characterful wines under the name Carignano del Sulcis DOC. Warm climate, barren soils, plenty of sun – these are its conditions.

Carignan at Vinoscout

In our range, you will find over 20 wines that show the entire spectrum of this variety – from accessible entry-level to ambitious top-tier wines. Those who want to explore Sardinia are well advised to try the Buio Rosso from Mesa or the Is Solinas Riserva from Argiolas. From the Languedoc, the wines from Domaine d'Aussières are recommended as solid, well-made representatives. Those looking for the maximum should reach for the Clos d'Ora from Gérard Bertrand – a wine that shows what Carignan is capable of in the right hands.

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