2021 Morande VIGNO Carignan Valle del Maule Chile 750 ml

Carignan (or Carignane, as it is sometimes known) is a beloved grape across the Mediterranean, with treasured examples from Spain to France to Sardinia. That made it a shoo-in to find its way across the ocean and get planted in the New World. It was planted in California by immigrants who loved its spicy nuance, silky tannins, and beautiful fruit.

The grape was also planted in Chile in the mid-20th century, when the wine industry was determined to recover from devastating earthquakes and raise the overall quality of the country’s wines. For well over half a century now, Carignan has been crucial to Chile’s wine industry, adding color, tannin, and consistency to the wines.

In 2009, a group of producers decided they wanted to take it further. To give Carignan its due, a dozen or so wineries proposed a set of rules for wines to carry the newly created VIGNO designation: The wine must be at leat 85% Carignan, it must come from vineyards at least 30 years of age, and it must be aged for 24 months, whether in barrels, bottle, tank, or otherwise. 

Viña Morandé, a Maule Valley pioneer and of the first wineries to bottle a serious Maule Valley Carignan, was one of the participants. Their 2021 Morande VIGNO Carignan comes from vineyards that blow past the minimum age requirement: the vines are 70 years of age, dating back to when the variety was a relative newcomer in the area. 

Morandé’s 2021 VIGNO aged for 20 months in untoasted French oak foudres, followed by six months in bottle. Now, four years past harvest, it’s bursting with aromas of blackberry, plum skin, and dried cherry, accented by wild herbs, crushed violets, and a touch of smoked bacon. The palate is both rustic and refined, with layers of red raspberry and black fruit, accented by crushed black pepper, tobacco leaf, and iron-rich earth that linger over a long finish.  

This is a shining example of Chilean Carignan at its very best, both a conversation piece and a flat-out delicious wine!