Over the decades, this ancient Mediterranean grape variety suffered relentless disparagement and removal. Now, a warming climate is giving Carignan its ultimate revenge – a chance to shine through its ability to maintain freshness and balance. These attributes have earned it a key role in southern France’s newly-endorsed Montpeyroux appellation.
Contents:
- Proof in the vineyard
- From pariah to poster child
- Preserving a legacy
- A grape built for the future?
Proof in the vineyard
Admittedly, the overall picture is mixed. Following a succession of summer heatwaves, some vineyard blocks suffered, while others fared better. North-west of Montpellier, winegrower Sylvain Fadat shares his own personal experience: “With Mourvèdre and perhaps even more so with Carignan, the vines sailed through the heat effortlessly”, says the owner of Domaine d’Aupilhac and chairman of AOC Montpeyroux. “We managed to preserve freshness”. The achievement feels particularly symbolic this year, following INAO’s decision in February to recognise Montpeyroux as a stand-alone appellation. Nestled in the foothills of Larzac plateau, the new specifications for this Languedoc appellation place Carignan centre stage, supported by Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah. This commitment to the variety draws on the collective experience of the appellation’s 35 winegrowers, as well as on the remarkable capacity of this grapevine phoenix to rise unexpectedly from its ashes. “I wouldn’t say that Carignan has regained its noble standing, simply because I don’t believe it ever lost it”, notes Laurent Audeguin, head of research and innovation at the plant material department with the French Vine and Wine Institute (IFV). “It boasts a substantial tannin and polyphenol structure that truly comes into its own once the vines have reached a certain age”.
From pariah to poster child
Audeguin believes Carignan has always delivered fine, age-worthy wines on suitable terroir in the Corbières, Fitou and Montpeyroux, “provided a tight rein is kept on yields”. The turning point came in the 1970s. At the time, high-yielding Carignan was the most widely planted grape variety in the world with France alone harbouring over 200,000 hectares. But the emergence of regional wines or vins de pays across southern France brought a shift toward so-called “improver varieties”. “Aramon faded into obscurity and Carignan acreage plummeted”, Audeguin adds. Sylvain Fadat recalls his early days as a winegrower when he owned four hectares, mostly planted to Carignan. “Everybody told me, “You need to plant Syrah”. I was crushed – I didn’t have the money to grub up my vines. In the end, I was thrilled to keep them because they yielded exceptional wines”. Success in export markets soon followed. “Every now and again, winemakers would suggest, “Just don’t mention it’s Carignan””. The tide officially turned with the founding of the Carignan Renaissance association in 2004 – and its major revival in 2013 – marking the reinstatement of the variety’s image.
Preserving a legacy
Some of the appellation’s vineyards are now 80 years old, a legacy Sylvain Fadat ascribes to a forward-thinking co-operative manager. “He realised those old vines produced the best wines and convinced the co-operative’s growers not to grub them up”, Fadat recalls. This heritage has now become one of the cornerstones of Montpeyroux’s identity. “You may get concentration, but there’s always bright freshness and acidity that keeps the wine balanced and inviting”, Fadat adds. Carignan retains that natural acidity thanks to a long vegetative cycle, late bud burst and gradual sugar accumulation. Its exceptional drought resistance further explains why it has found favour again, while advancements in plant material have bolstered its revival. In 1998, the Aude chamber of agriculture established a Carignan conservation vineyard at the INRAE Pech-Rouge research facilities to maintain reference specimens. The initiative forms part of a broader regional effort that has safeguarded nearly 300 clones and accessions*. “Establishing conservation centres allows us to preserve diversity and evaluate how that diversity can serve the wine industry when needed”, Audeguin explains. Current interest isn’t limited to Carignan noir – it extends to Carignan gris and blanc. In fact, Carignan blanc was recently added to the official list of varieties considered suitable for a changing climate (VIFA) within the specifications for generic Côtes-du-Rhône wines.
A grape built for the future?
“Given the current climate situation, it is only natural that certain appellations are choosing to reposition Carignan”, says the IFV researcher. Is it a silver bullet? Audeguin cautions against viewing any single variety as a quick fix. “I don’t know of a single vineyard that didn’t show some degree of heat stress – either through leaf drop, stunted growth or shrivelled berries. The scientific literature on this remains limited. We need to study these impacts collectively because there could well be surprises ahead”. Carignan’s revenge certainly extends well beyond the borders of Montpeyroux. It questions the ability of the French wine industry to demonstrate agility in the face of global warming. “We must remain optimistic. What we refer to as plant material and new, heritage orforgotten grape varieties or cultivars that come from other countries, provide a powerful tool for adaptation”, Audeguin stresses. Back in Montpeyroux, Sylvain Fadat prefers to look inward rather than rely on foreign varieties. “We already have everything we need here with Carignan, Mourvèdre and Clairette”. Although his 2026 vintage wines won’t be released for another two years, Fadat is confident in what lies in the cellar. “People are going to be impressed by the fact that, even in an intensely hot year, these wines retain their freshness”. Once scapegoated as being the problem, Carignan might now become a part of the solution – proof that sometimes, the wine world’s past holds the key to its future.
Florence Jaroniak.
© @vitinova
* Clones are the exact genetic copies of a vine, whereas an accession is the registration number of a sample in the collection
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