The biggest surprise (well, wine-wise…we had lots of other surprises…but I digress) we got during our recent trip to France was a 2014 Carignan from Domaine La Tasque, which was a generous gift from our great Parisian friends, Barrie and Jennifer. Though I’d had Carignan in blends before, I’d never had a Carignan varietal. Carignan is a grape that has historically been a bit disparaged, but because it came highly recommended, we went at it with an open mind.
Wow! This. Was. A. Big. Wine. Clearly aged on lots of new oak, it had notes of dark chocolate, black cherry, and crushed mineral. Silky tannins gave way to a long, smooth finish. I have no idea whether this is available in the U.S., but even if not, I’ll always have the memory.
