Winemaker Notes
Tawny ruby. Aromas of coffee, spice and plum. Medium to Full bodies. Well balanced with bright acidity. Complex combination of plums and berries with a tobacco note. Medium long Carignane holds the distinction of being one of the most widely planted red grapes in France. It is also grown abundantly in Italy, Spain, Algeria and Israel and was once the most planted varietal in the new world. It has traditionally been used as a blending grape because of its favorable yields, excellent acidity and big tannins. Cline Cellars is one of the few wineries to vinify this as a stand-alone varietal. Our 2016 Ancient Vines Carignane opens with aromas of coffee, spice and plum. Nuanced flavors of berry, plum, and tobacco lead to a lengthy and well structured finish.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Aromas of dried berries, green tea and slate follow through to a full body, firm and chewy tannins and a juicy, almost salty undertone to the finish. Drink or hold.
Responsible for some of the most stunning old vine red wine on the planet, Carignan has an amazing capacity to survive dry, arid climates and still produce lovely, mouthwatering wine. In Spain it goes by the name of Mazuelo or Cariñena and while it may have originated there in the province of Aragón, its popularity lies elsewhere, particularly in Languedoc-Roussillon. Somm Secret—Historically Carignan did not enjoy the respect that it does today. In the mid 20th century, Carignan covered nearly 140,000 ha in Algeria, where it was made into low quality bulk and blending wine to supply mass-market demand.
A large Northern California appellation centered on the San Francisco Bay Area, the San Francisco Bay AVA falls within the larger Central Coast AVA. The smaller appellations of Livermore Valley, Pacheco Pass, San Ysidro District and Santa Clara Valley AVAs fall within the San Francisco Bay boundaries, and all produce high-quality Central Coast wines.