Grape variety : Vieux Carignan

Old-Vine Carignan, the Treasure of the Languedoc

Old-vine Carignan is simply Carignan from old vines, picked and vinified on its own to show its best side. Once planted mainly for volume, this Mediterranean grape now gives deep, concentrated reds from its oldest, lowest-yielding stocks, and stands at the heart of the Languedoc revival.

Description and Origins of Old-Vine Carignan

Carignan Noir is a Mediterranean grape that came from Spain, where it is known as cariñena. "Old-vine Carignan" is not a separate variety: it refers to the oldest plots, often bush-trained and dry-farmed, that Languedoc growers chose to keep rather than pull up.

These vines, sometimes well over fifty years old, yield very little. The grower picks them by hand, vinifies them on their own, at times by carbonic maceration to soften the matter, and bottles them as a cuvée in their own right. This heritage of old vines is where Carignan's revival began, including its finest red wines.

Where Old-Vine Carignan Grows

It is in the Languedoc-Roussillon that old-vine Carignan is at its best, on the dry, stony hillsides where the old plots have weathered the years. The Boutenac appellation, within the Corbières, has made it a hallmark: there Carignan is hand-harvested and makes up a large share of the blend.

You also find it at the core of Minervois, Saint-Chinian, Fitou, Faugères and the Terrasses du Larzac, on its own or in a blend, as well as in many IGP cuvées labeled "vieilles vignes."

Old-Vine Carignan's Aromatic Profile

On its old vines, Carignan gains depth and nuance.

Old-Vine Carignan in Red Wine

Food Pairings with Old-Vine Carignan

Its structure and depth call for generous dishes with character:

• A deep, dense old-vine Carignan from the Corbières stands up to a slow-cooked beef daube or braised beef cheek.
• With a grilled rib of beef or rare red meat, an old-vine Minervois shows its grip and spicy finish.
• Game, whether wild boar stew or venison, finds a characterful partner in a Fitou built on old-vine Carignan.
• Aged hard cheeses, such as mature Comté or mountain tomme, match the depth of an old-vine Saint-Chinian or Faugères.

Frequently Asked Questions About Old-Vine Carignan

What is old-vine Carignan?

Old-vine Carignan is not a different grape from Carignan: it is Carignan Noir from old, low-yielding vines, vinified separately to make deeper, more concentrated reds.

Why do old Carignan vines make better wine?

An older vine carries fewer bunches and roots more deeply into the soil. This low output concentrates the aromas and refines the tannins, where a young, productive vine once gave more rustic reds.

Which appellations feature old-vine Carignan?

The finest examples come from the Languedoc-Roussillon. The Boutenac appellation, where Carignan is hand-harvested, has made it its signature; you also enjoy it in Corbières, Minervois, Saint-Chinian, Fitou and the Terrasses du Larzac, as well as in IGP wines.