Good wine: Give Carignano a chance. Chances are, you already have
Carignano is not the next big thing. There's not going to be a movie about it. Even the guy paid to make the official presentation to myself and other local wine cognoscente advises, “These wines will not fly off your shelves.”
We, however, clearly are not daunted.
Says Lisa Mango, beverage director for the Mia Francesca Restaurant Group, “Unique varietals are what make a wine program interesting. I love the velvet structure of Carignano, the way it moves across the palate with jammy black fruits, subtle spice, dried herbs, a meatiness, an earthiness and a hint of sea breeze. The wines make wonderful complements to flavorful, meaty dishes like pasta Bolognese, Osso Bucco, lamb.
“Of course,” she admits, “there is a bit more staff training involved. These are definitely hand-sell wines.”
No wonder, given Carignano's image that is, at best, murky.
First, is it a grape or is it region? Yes. Carignano is an Italian province, but the Carignano grape doesn't grow there. The name originates from Spain's Carinena, home of ancient and modern vineyards.
So, the correct name is Carinena? Not necessarily. In Carinena, the grape is called Samso. In 2003, DNA analysis proved Carignano to be identical to Rioja's Mazuelo grape. It is unrelated, however, to Carignan Bouschet, Carignan d'Espagne, Alicante Bouschet (also known as Carignan jaune), Grenache (Carignan rouge) and Cinsault (also known as Samso). Are you still with me?
So is it a Spanish grape, a French grape or an Italian grape? Yes. Once believed to be transported by Phoenicians from Sardinia to Spain, modern science reverses that itinerary to begin in Spain, then migrating to southern France, Sardinia and Algeria.
With all the growing regions and pseudonyms, Carignano is a sought-after grape? Not quite. Carignano's prominence has rested on other grapes' failure as much as its own appeal.
In the 1800s, France — devastated by the phylloxera vineyard blight — turned to her African colonies for wine, where Carignan (the French moniker) thrived in desert conditions. In 1962, when Algeria's independence closed the spigot, France increased planting of the sturdy vine. In 1988, Carignan became France's top-planted grape.
In the same era, Carignan emigrated to California's arid Central Valley and its spelling changed to Carignane. By 1960, it was a prime component in popular jug wines and America's third top-planted wine grape.
But because Carignano/Carignan/Carignane is almost always one anonymous ingredient in a blend, it may be the world's top-planted grape that you have never heard of.
Enter Giacomo Tachis.
Tachis, the oenologist credited with Italy's wine renaissance, joined forces with Cantina Santadi, a cooperative of winegrowers in Sardinia's remote Sulcis region in the mid 1970s. He encountered Carignano vines thriving in parched sand vineyards and blistering heat, often bearing fruit at 60 years of age. He recognized vineyard techniques established by the ancient Romans. He was convinced that Carignano, in the specific soil and climate of Sulcis, could yield wines of richness, depth and international acclaim.
Enter the Consorzio di Tutela del Carignano del Sulcis, founded in 1977 and tasked with sharing Sardinian culture, traditions and the emblematic Carigano del Sulcis wines with the world.
As we in the suburbs and Chicago await the bottles that contain the fruits of the Consorzio's labor, we can enjoy “Ross' Choice” and the following Carignano, Carignan and Carignane:
Cantine Mesa, “Buio Buio” (Sardinia, Italy): Elegant structure, firm and lean, with cherry and plum fruit and lovely acidity, for a robust partner to the richest seafood and fine meats, 100 hundred percent Carigano del Sulcis (about $45).
La Perla del Priorat, “Noster” (Priorat, Spain): Intense cherry red color. Complex aroma with red fruits evolving to jam fruits, plums, figs, and bitter chocolate. Satisfying volume in the mouth with round tannin and long finish. 55 percent Grenache, 45 percent Carignan (about $14).
Cline Cellars, “Ancient Vines” Carignane (Contra Costa County, Calif.): Cline is one of the few California properties to offer 100 percent Carignane. Hundred-year old vines yield deeply concentrated flavors of plums, chocolate and cloves for grilled dishes and rich stews (about $14).
• Write to Advanced Sommelier and Certified Wine Educator Mary Ross at food@dailyherald.com.
Ross' choice
“Terre Brune” Superiore
Cantina Santadi
Sulcis, Sardinia, Italy
2011
• Suggested retail and availability: Under $30 at wine boutiques (distributed by Southern Wines & Spirits of Illinois, Bolingbrook)
Enormous color pushes against the glass. Lavish aromas of plum, prune, black pepper and licorice. Velvet texture evolves to the kind of firm tannin that invites a next bite of grilled lamb chop, ragu or Chicago-style steak.