Ep 320: The Grape Miniseries -- Carignan (Mazuelo)

<p>Carignan or Mazuelo, as it's known in its native Spain, is a complicated grape that gets a terrible rap. But the truth is, in the right hands and growing in the right conditions, this grape can fashion powerful wines that are pure hedonistic pleasure! </p> <p style="text-align: center;">  <a href= "https://www.vins-rhone.com/en/vineyard/grapes/carignan"><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://assets.libsyn.com/secure/show/45638/carignan_une.jpg" alt="" width="192" height="300" /><em><span style= "font-size: 8pt;">Photo: Vins-Rhone</span></em></a></p> <p>Carignan has a long history. The grape is likely from Aragon in northeast Spain, but it spread around the Iberian Peninsula. It’s current Spanish name, Mazuelo comes from Mazuelo de Muñó, a town in Castilla y Leon in northwest Spain. Carignan may have originated in its namesake town of Cariñena, which is a Denomiacíon de Origen (DO) that grows mainly Garnacha Tinta. From these parts of Spain, Mazuelo spread to Catalunya in northeast Spain and then during the reign of the Crown of Aragon to the area it ruled. The grape:</p> <ul> <li>Was introduced to Sardinia, the Italian island, sometime between 1323-1720</li> <li>Moved to Algeria where it became a high yielding grape that was exported to France to bolster French blends in the color, acidity, and tannin department</li> </ul> <p>The grape became commonplace in France after three incidents: phylloxera in the late 1800s, a frost destroyed the other “workhorse” grape,  Aramon in 1956 and 1963, and the independence of Algeria of 1962 brought French-Algerian winemakers into the Languedoc-Roussillon region who brought their trusty workhorse grape.</p> <p><img style= "display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src= "https://assets.libsyn.com/secure/show/45638/pied-noir.jpg" alt= "Pied Noir from Algeria" width="200" height="150" /></p> <p>The over vigorous nature of the grape made it produce rustic, flavorless wines with rough tannin and high acid. It contributed maj