White Carignan, or Carignan Blanco, is white grape wine. This particular wine is made from the white Carignan grape, which is the albino mutation of its dark-skinned brother.
This variety of grapes originated in Spain, before being transplanted to Algeria, where it became responsible for the majority of wine imported to France. From there, it would become France’s most-planted varietal before vine pulls were initiated to combat the growing “wine lake” problem.
This put a halt to Carignan winemaking and the prominence of the plant itself. However, after decades of obscurity, white Carignan wine is making a small comeback, thanks to some devoted growers and winemakers.
This is occurring in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France, in an area of approximately 400 hectares. Because of this, white Carignan wine is considered to be somewhat of a rarity.
Let’s explore its flavors, browse some of the best examples, and get an idea of fantastic food parings ideas for white Carignan.
What Does White Carignan Taste Like?
Being that it is a white wine, white Carignan does have a significantly lighter taste on the palate than that of its darker sibling.
The same can be said for the overall color of this particular wine, as it takes on more of a lighter yellow or gold appearance when poured into a glass.
White Carignan more often than not takes on very floral and citrus notes. This is much to do with its Mediterranean roots and the particular climate in which the grapes are grown. Commonly, hints of lemon, pineapple, melon, or lime are associated with this wine.
Many can be classified as ripe, and are quite expansive on the palate – really allowing you to take in each sip. Lastly, white Carignan generally holds a bit of a spicy finish, allowing for a lovely warming sensation.
As previously mentioned, this particular type of wine is somewhat of a rarity, so getting to taste it is quite the occasion.
Best Examples of White Carignan
Oliver Coste Rare Carignan Blanc – This gem boasts of being expansive and ripe on the palate, reflective of the Languedoc sun. The wine is named appropriately, considering the true occasion of getting to enjoy a glass. Bringing out subtle notes of melon, tangerine, and pineapple, this wine takes on a spicy, tropical finish.
Domaine Ledogar Carignan Blanc – This outstanding wine comes right from the source of the grapes, so you know it’s good! This medium body, high acidity wine has a wonderful mouthfeel. It carries lovely aromas of peach and apricot while bringing a nice apple finish to the palate.
Château Carignan L’Orangerie De Carignan Blanc – Another uniquely beautiful White Carignan, this wine is crisp with a mouthwatering finish. It’s heavily citrus in taste but carries a buttery flavor that hits the palate nicely. It’s regarded as being easily drinkable and hitting the nose perfectly.
Caujolle Gazet Bianca Carignan Blanc – This treasure is yet another wine coming out of Languedoc. This fruity white has a remarkable finish on the palate, offering a delicious full-body feel. The high acidity content mixed with the citrus notes allows for a beautiful taste and aroma.
What Food Pairs Best With White Carignan?
Considering that Carignan grapes have found a home in multiple countries, the food pairing choices for this wine are abundant. Many folks love to stick with tradition, pairing this wine with lovely dishes from French, Spanish, and Mediterranean cuisine.
Some dishes that would make an excellent pairing with this wine would be; Chicken Cordon Bleu, Paella, or a Shwarma platter. White Carignan also makes an excellent pairing to an evening of tapas or other appetizers like hummus or spanokopita.
Pasta – Being that white Carignan is viewed as a light, citrus, and refreshing wine, it is commonly paired alongside pasta dishes. This is because pasta is a heavier meal, and this particular wine will break up bites with a revitalizing burst of freshness and flavor.
Seafood – Similarly, because of the common citrus profile, this wine is often featured alongside an array of seafood and fish dishes.
Soup/Salad – Also, considering this wine is lighter in both feel and high in acidity content, it makes a great partner to a nice salad or soup course to begin a larger meal.
Is White Carignan a Sweet or Dry Wine?
White Carignan is considered to be a dry variety of wine. This is much to do with the high acidity and low sugar content of the wine, in addition to its relation to its much drier and darker counterpart.
Similar to other white wines, the longer that white Carignan is aged, the drier it will become to the palate.
However, although this wine is classed as being dry, the citrus and tropical notes do bring a level of sweetness to the overall taste. Because of this, white Carignan is still considered to be very refreshing to the palate.
How is White Carignan Made?
As previously mentioned, the winemaking process of white Carignan is not as popular as it once was. This is much the same with the growing process, with only about 400 hectares being devoted to it today.
Regardless of the high quality of this wine, white Carignan is not suited for commercial winemaking. This is much to do with the growing process, as the plants are highly susceptible to powdery mildew.
Also, before vinification, these grapes must be very carefully sorted – making large yields seemingly impossible.
This makes this wine more suited for small batch winemaking, and why we will more than likely never see white Carignan produced in mass quantities.
When white Carignan wine is made, after the tiresome process of inspecting each grape for quality, the grapes are then pulverized. The juice of these pulverized grapes then undergoes the process of fermentation. During fermentation, a process that can sometimes take a very significant portion of time, the yeast in the wine mixture will convert the natural sugars of the grapes into ethanol (alcohol) and carbon dioxide.
Upon completion, the finished product will either be bottled or stored for further aging before consumption.
Summary
That’s everything a wine lover needs to know about white Carignan and its history. Bring out a bottle during your next dinner or party to surprise your friends with something truly unique.
Feel free to let us know about your experiences with this fine wine by contacting us through the comments sections or our Facebook group.