Carignan
Carignan (in French;
Spanish CariÃÂñena,
Italian Carignano,
American English Carignane) is a
Spanish variety of
grape that originated in CariÃÂñena, Aragon and was later transplanted to
Sardinia, elsewhere in
Italy,
France,
Algeria, and much of the New World. Carignan 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 characeristic harshness and astringency that diminishes with age. It is often blended with
Cinsaut, Grenache,
Syrah,
Cabernet Sauvignon,
Cabernet Franc, MourvÃÂèdre,
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.