The following article is from wines-israel.com
Recanati Winery have launched a new Carignan from the 2009 vintage. It is made from Carignan grapes from bush vines, grown in the Judean Hills. The wine is deep colored with extraordinary depth of flavor, aromas of blackberry & black current and a powerful concentrated & complex taste. It has obvious aging potential and is one of the best Carignans released to date. The bottle has a very attractive label featuring a drawing of a characterful old Carignan vine, or ‘wild vine’ as they refer to it.
Carignan is a variety that has been in Israel since 1882, before Edmond de Rothschild began investing in Israeli wine. It was the mainstay of Israeli wine for nearly 100 years. However in the last ten years, wineries have strived to make quality Carignans, instead of using it purely for inexpensive blends. They have done this by reducing yields, showing very strict selection of fruit and using only older vineyards.
Today wineries like Avidan, Barkan, Binyamina, Carmel, Chillag, Red Poetry, Sea Horse, Smadar, Somek, Vitkin and now Recanati all have quality Carignans or Carignan based blends. All come from different areas. The Barkan Reserve Carignan comes from the Judean Plain. The Binyamina Reserve Carignan comes from the Lower Galilee. Carmel’s Appellation Old Vine Carignan comes from the Zichron Ya’acov – Mt. Carmel region and the Recanati Reserve Wild Vine Carignan comes from the Judean Hills.
This makes a very welcome change from the all too regular Cabernet Sauvignons & Merlots which all Israeli wineries seem to produce. Quality Carignans from Israel will undoubtedly create interest from those looking for Israeli character in their wines.
