Oveja Negra Single Vineyard Carignan 2013
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Wilfred
Wong -
Wine &
Spirits -
James
Suckling
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
In many wine circles, Carignan is considered a mere pedestrian grape—good for blending and not much else. The 2013 Oveja Negra Single Vineyard from the Maule Valley is here to change the way of though and propel Carignan to new level. Loaded with brightness of fruit, the rich in the aroma and on the palate makes this a nice choice with port tenderloin. Drinking nicely now. (Tasted: July 21, 2016, San Francisco, CA)
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Wine & Spirits
Chilean carignan used to be charged with ripe fruit, oak and rustic tannins, but that’s changing quickly, as this wine demonstrates. With a focus on fresh fruit and bright acidity, this brims with red cherry and flower notes. The fruit is intense, but there’s nothing rustic about it—this is just refreshing and vibrant, a wine to drink by the pool.
Best Buy -
James Suckling
A fresh and clean carignan with hints of walnut, slate and light cherry aromas and flavors. Medium body, fine tannins. Delicious.
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2014-
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Spectator -
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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.
Maule is the Central Valley’s most southern and coolest zone, reaching a southern latitude of 35°S, yet it is still warmer and drier than Bío-Bío to its south. The Maule Valley enjoys success with a unique set of grapes.
It lays claim to the local variety, Pais (synonymous with Tinta Pais, which is actually Tempranillo), which has dominated much of the region’s area under vine until the recent past. Now many growers, not confined by the tradition and regulations of the Old World, also successfully grow Cabernet Sauvignon.
While Maule’s total area under vine remains relatively static, its old Carignan vineyards are undergoing a great revival. The VIGNO (Vignadores del Carignan Vintners) group, an association in charge of promoting this long-forgotten variety, is getting fantastic results from the old vines in its dry-farmed coastal zones.
The Maule includes the subregions of Talca, San Clemente, San Javier, Parral, Linares and Cauquenes.