As a high yielding grape, Carignan was one of the main sources of cheap plonk back in the days when the average French worker packed a bottle of vin rouge for lunch and then had another bottle with dinner. Since this market doesn’t exist anymore*, the EU has spent a great deal of money grubbing up Carignan vines in an attempt to help control the global wine glut. Indeed, from 1990 to 2002, total world acreage of Carignan was reduced 42% from 501,300 acres down to 290,400 acres but is still the 8th most widely planted wine grape variety.

Carignan (known as Carignane in California, Carignano in Italy and Cariñena in Spain) has also been one of the most critically disparaged grapes in the world. 100% Carignan wines aren’t allowed according to AOC laws so it’s usually relegated to a blending partner in Minervois and Corbieres. According to Jancis Robinson in the Oxford Companion to Wine, “Its wine is high in everything – acidity, tannins, colour, bitterness – but finesse and charm.” Ouch. Still, she does concede that it can make exceptional wine in the right hands and cites Domaine d’Aupilhac in Montpeyroux and Chateau de Lastours in Corbieres.

The tide now seems to be changing for Carignan. On our recent trip to the Languedoc, we found “100% Carignan” signs proudly displayed at several wine shops and asking for Carignan wines on restaurant wine lists would get knowing nods of approval. How could this be? For starters, the French love an underdog. And perhaps the rough image of the grape just naturally goes with the rugged landscape, especially the garrigue, the wild scrub of dwarf oak, thyme, rosemary, lavender, gorse, broom, heather and fennel that is everywhere. Or perhaps it’s part of a larger worldwide movement to embrace indigenous grape varieties (does the world really need more Merlot?). Whatever the reason, more and more talented winemakers are embracing Carignan, particularly in the Languedoc, where it is produced as a Vin de Pays.

One of the more talented (and vocal) producers is the Clos du Gravillas, run by John and Nicole Bojanowski in St. Jean de Minervois. They’ve been leading the Carignanistas in Laguodoc through their events and by producing great Carignan wines. Old vines, low yields and careful élevage shows just what is possible. Their 2003 Rendez-Vous du Soleil is an excellent example: refreshing, well balanced and refined but pleasantly casual. Their 2003 Lo Vièlh shows just how opulent and elegant Carignan can be. It’s an amazingly refined and concentrated expression that’s drawn critical acclaim and enthusiastic responses even from the haughty Parisians. (read my detailed notes on these wines HERE)

In addition to making great wine, John and Nicole head up the Carignan Renaissance, which promotes this disparaged grape throughout the world. In 2004, they organized the 1st Carignan World Tasting and invited an illustrious panel, including Jancis Robinson, to size up the world’s Carignan wines. Some wines, like their Clos du Gravillas’ received high marks but didn’t really sway some critics like Ms. Robinson to substantially change their views. Perhaps if it were a completely blind tasting (also called double-blind where the tasters don’t know anything about the wines) preconceived notions about the grape could be challenged.

OK, all of that sounds great but I’m in the USA. How do I get in on the HIPSTER CARIGNAN ACTION? Perhaps the easiest way is to run – not walk – to your local wine shop and pick up a bottle of Les Hérétiques. Produced by Andre Iché of Chateau d’Oupia, it’s a cuvee of 97% Carignan and 3% Syrah, imported (and developed with) Louis/Dressner . Les Hérétiques refers to the Cathars who were massacred in the 13th Century by the crusaders for their heretical beliefs and also to Carignan which is currently being massacred by the European Union. The wine is earthy, soft, fruity, slightly rustic, and was a staple at Chez De Long when we lived in New York City. It’s widely available and a great introduction to the pleasures of Carignan. And for roughly the price of a bottle of [yellowtail] you can’t go wrong.

Conclusion: Diesel Merlot = uncool; Hipster Carignan = tres cool

*Per capita wine consumption in France declined from 108 liters to 57 liters from 1970 to 2001. French actor and vineyard owner Gerard Depardieu has single handedly attempted to reverse the trend. In his own words (translated): “On a good day, I have four bottles. On a bad day, six.”

Resources: Worldwide Carignan Producer’s List

This article appearded in the June/July 2006 edition of Connections Magazine (Ireland)

Well priced, massively fruit-forward, quaffable Australian wines seem fairly ubiquitous these days, and why not? Who hasn’t picked up a bottle of Jacob’s Creek, Rosemount, Hardy’s, Banrock Station or [yellowtail] lately? They’re the cheap, cheerful, user friendly wines that rescued us all from the effete grip of the snobby French! So how could they be headed for a fall?

On the surface, things look very good for the Australian wine industry. Looking back a few years, they seem to have come out of nowhere with just a small domestic market in the 1980’s to become the world’s fourth largest wine exporter. They are now also the top importers in both the US and the UK, having recently surpassed France, Italy and Spain. Their flying winemakers are in demand throughout the world to show how it’s done. Even the French are modeling their wine marketing efforts after them. So what’s the problem? Unfortunately their new found success is not without growing pains especially in the perpetually difficult business of the global wine trade. Their export market is still growing rapidly but they’re plagued with massive overproduction, fierce global competition, a declining domestic market and the perception that they’re a one trick pony, with little beyond easy drinking entry level wines.

Overproduction and fierce competition go hand in hand. Can you imagine an industry that consistently overproduces by 15 to 20% year in year out? That’s the global wine market! For the last decade, overproduction has hovered between 15 and 20%, which roughly amounts to the entire wine production of France. This surplus – commonly referred to as the “wine lake” – is usually made into vinegar, distilled into alcohol or just poured down the drain. Why is this so? Wine is not a rational thing. Governments tend to pump money into wine production as it’s one of the most potentially lucrative – not to mention romantic – forms of agriculture, hoping to get results like Australia. Australia pumps money into their wine industry because it is Australia. The problem now is that Australia’s massive growth in wine production has exceeded its massive growth in demand and they’re now in the same boat as the rest of the wine world.

Their declining domestic market certainly doesn’t seem much of a surprise. There’s a real disconnect between popular perceptions of rugged outdoor life – sailing, surfing and crocodile wrestling – and the popular high-alcohol, full-bodied, slightly sweet Shiraz wines that Australia is identified with. When I think of high-alcohol sweet heavy red wines, I usually think of Port and everything that goes with it: being portly, smoking cigars, Winston Churchill and generally living the sedentary good life. I don’t get the impression that Mr. Churchill was a big surfer or made any pretensions of having an active lifestyle. Also not surprising is that domestic sales of Australian red wines are falling faster that the whites. Yes, beer, soft-drinks or at least a lighter wine seems more in tune with the outdoor sporting life.

So is Australian Wine a one-trick pony? Just walk into your local wine purveyor and see for yourself. Take a look at the Australian Reds and try to get something that isn’t a Shiraz or a Shiraz blend. The main alternative seems to be a similarly styled – high alcohol, full-bodied, slightly sweet – Cabernet Sauvignon. Not a huge difference. Now go to the French Red section and see the variety in a typical selection from lightweight Beaujolais, elegant Burgundians, powerful Rhones, fruity Vin de Pays and austere Bordeaux’s. Obviously there’s a bit of stereotyping here but you get the point: Australia sells more wine to both the US and the UK than France but doesn’t come even close in terms of variety. A look at the famous fine wine dealer Berry Brothers and Rudd’s red wine selection reveals the same thing: 17 out of 26 Australian red wines on offer are either Shiraz or Shiraz blends. And the white wines aren’t much different, dominated by full-bodied Chardonnay and Semillon.

So what’s wrong with being a one trick pony, especially if your trick’s pretty good? The big danger is fashion. Just take a look at the recent surge in popularity of Pinot Noir and the subsequent decline of Merlot sales all caused by the wine related movie Sideways. But to get a better idea of what can go wrong with an entire country; let’s take a look at the German wine industry. German wines are just starting to recover from a massive image problem caused by cheap export-only Liebfraumilch, which is better known as brands Blue Nun and Black Tower. Liebraumilch was originally named for the vineyards around the Leibfrauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) in Worms and literally means “Milk of Our Lady”. The Germans liked the name so much that it became used as a generic name for halb-trocken (half dry or slightly sweet) white wines that were wildly popular in the US and UK from the 1920’s to the 1980’s. The famous 21 Club in New York City had 15 Liebfraumilch on their menu back in 1945. The same menu listed the most expensive German wine, a 1934 Dr. Thanisch Bernkasteler Doktor spätlese, at $18 or almost double that of a 1934 Château Lafite-Rothschild which sold for $11. Today a a 2000 Dr. Thanisch Bernkasteler Doktor spätlese retails for about $45 while a 2000 Château Lafite-Rothschild would be hard to find for less than $450 a bottle. What sunk Germany’s good fortunes? Liebfraumilch.

The German wine industry was very successful in promoting Liebfraumilch as a cheap popular casual wine and sales rose consistently after WWII until the 1990’s when they took a nosedive. All of the sudden Blue Nun and Black Tower were considered naff and the entire industry was tarred with the same brush. Another big problem with German wines was that there was no middle ground for all the Liebfraumilch drinks to climb up as most German wines were either cheap or expensive. So all of the people introduced to wine with Liebfraumilch had to turn to other country if they were determined to climb up the quality ladder. Brand Australia is also in danger of having its image seriously damaged by the popularity of its low-price easy drinking wines. Is a nosedive immanent?

Of course the Australian wine industry, with all its marketing savvy cleary understands the problem and is now doing its best to promote diversity. The great Australian wine writer James Halliday has made the point clear: “The problem is persuading the millions of consumers of Australian wines around the world to look beyond the horizons of yellowtail et al. The distressing fact is that exports of Australian wines costing more than $100 FOB per case have declined in volume over the past two years, while total volume has continued to soar.” Surprisingly enough, Australia does have wide variety of wine styles, regions and grape varieties seldom seen in UK and US shops. A recent book Emerging Varietal Wines of Australia by Darby Higgs, mentions over 100 different grape varieties now used to make Australian wine. Riesling, Pinot Noir and northern Italian varieties such as Sangiovese and Barbera are now increasing in popularity and all produce lighter food friendly styles of wine.

There’ll always be a market for fruity full bodied easy drinking wine as most countries do produce them and people like to drink them. However, to really appreciate wine is to appreciate the diversity it can offer. The next time you’re buying wine, surprise yourself by seeking out some of the more interesting wines Australia offers.

A Few Notes on Australian Wine Grape Varieties:

Whites:

Chardonnay Ubiquitous worldwide, this is the most widely grown white grape variety in Australia. The sad reality is that on the lower end of the price scale, it’s grown in too hot a climate for the full complexity of flavors to develop and often depends on added oak and acid for flavour and balance. At the higher price ranges, however, Australian Chardonnays – especially those from Eden Valley, Adelaide Hills and Margaret River go head to head with best from California or Burgundy.

Sémillon Originally a Bordeaux variety most famous for the sweet wines of Sauternes, dry Sémillon from Australia is most commonly known as a rich blending partner for Chardonnay. Like Chardonnay, they are best appreciated beyond the lower end of the price spectrum. The Hunter Valley produces a distinctive and unique unoaked Semillon.

Riesling This great German variety some believe to be the future of Australian white wines. It was more widely grown than Chardonnay until the early 1990’s when it became unfashionable. Dry, aromatic, with the distinctive aromas of lime and petrol they are most often compared with the great white wines of the Alsace.

Sauvignon Blanc Plantings have increased, but it always seems to play second fiddle with the more famous but similar Sauvignon Blancs from neighboring New Zealand.

Verdelho Truly an Australian oddity, Verdelho is more well know in fortified Madeiras. Its uniqueness is now considered more of an asset than a liability; like Riesling it is now seen as part of the post-Chardonnay future of Australia whites.

Reds:

Shiraz By far the most widely grown grape in Australia, it seems to be suffering from its recent good fortune. Australian Farmers were paid by the government to pull it up in the 1990’s – to be replaced by more fashionable grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon – until it enjoyed a surge of popularity. Know as Syrah in France’s Northern Rhone, Australian Shiraz is usually weightier and employs more oak, often imparting a light sweet vanilla spice. One note: The greatest (and most expensive) Australian Shiraz, Penfold’s Grange, is made in a much lighter, elegant and structured style in contrast to lower priced Shirazes.

Cabernet Sauvignon If you consider Chardonnay the vanilla of wine grapes, Cabernet Sauvignon is the chocolate. Along with the varietally correct aroma blackcurrant, Australian examples often have pronounced mint and eucalyptus. It is also very widely grown in Australia and has a hard time distinguishing itself in the global wine lake.

Merlot More so than Cabernet Sauvignon, Australian Merlot seems to have a very, very hard time distinguishing itself from global completion. Unfortunately much of it is not very good.

Grenache The second most widely planted red grape variety in the world after Cabernet Sauvignon but much less famous. A major part of Southern Rhone wines like Côtes du Rhone and Chateâuneuf-du-Pape, it thrives in hot climates like Australia’s.

Sangiovese Italian grape varieties like Sangiovese (the principal grape in Chianti), Barbara, Dolcetto and even the obscure Lagrein are becoming much more popular. They grow well in many parts of Australia and also go well with many popular Italian dishes.

Some good entry-level introductions to less well known Australian wines:

2004 Annie’s Lane Riesling, Clare Valley 11.5% vol.

Drivers start your engines! This is a racy Australian Riesling with a powerful dose of the classic Riesling aroma of diesel fuel (in a good way), coupled with pickled limes, roses and a long mineral finish. It’s a light refreshing aperitif or accompaniment to seafood dishes. ₤7.59

2004 Jane Brook Jame’s Vineyard Verdelho, Western Australia 12.5% vol.

Lemony, lightly spicy and grassy with the slight pungent tang of orange peel. This is another excellent aperitif that is perfect with fish pies; well balanced, with a slightly bitter finish (again, in a good way). A more widely available good alternative is the 2004 Fox Creek Verdelho. ₤9.99

2005 Brown Brothers Tarrango, Victoria 12.5% vol.

This is the kind of wine you’d imagine Australians couldn’t get enough of: light, charming and refreshingly fruiting. Made from the 1965 lab-created Australian variety Tarrango, it’s similar in style to a Beaujolais; a simple, cheap and cheerful quaffer full of ripe cherry and raspberry fruits. Serve slightly chilled with white meats or cold cuts. ₤5.99

2001 Garry Crittenden Barbera, KingValley 13% vol.

This wine beautifully shows off the potential of Italian grape varieties in Australia. Black cherries with savory spicy roasted tomatoes combine with good acidity to make an elegant, medium-bodied food-friendly wine. ₤10.99

2001 Nerpenthe Tryst, Adelaide Hills 14% vol.

Made from 60 % Cabernet Sauvignon with 25% Zinfandel (a major California grown grape) and 15% Tempranillo (the famous Spanish grape), this is a truly international combination. While dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon with flavors of eucalyptus, blackcurrants and mint, there isn’t any oak to get in the way of perceiving the plum and spice that the other grape varieties contribute. Perfect with a big juicy steak. ₤6.99

Non-Vintage De Bortoli Show Vintage Muscat, South East Australia 18% vol.

OK, this fortified wine is not a light-weight alternative to Shiraz but instead, an excellent introduction to the great desert wines of Australia. Known as “stickies”, they are widely acclaimed as some of the best desert wines in the world along with Sauternes, Hungarian Tokaji and Trockenbeerenauslese. Rich, powerful and sweet with flavors of raisin, spice and wood this can be drunk as a dessert in itself or as one of the few wines that pair well with chocolate. ₤6.99

The ban continues and has generated a good deal of press but they’re still in a terrible situation. So what can be done to help other than just yapping about it? Easy. Drink Georgian Wine. Wait just a minute there mister, why would I want to go and do a thing like that?

Top 10 reasons to Drink Georgian Wine:

10. It’s the world’s first wine region, over 7000 years old (Pre-Bacchus!)
9. The wine is actually very good. And not just good, but interesting as well; unique flavors, food-friendly, good acidity, low alcohol (12% for the reds).
8. They won’t set you back too many rubles.
7. Be adventurous: when was the last time you had a Saperavi or a Mtsvane?
6. An easy introduction to the world of vowel-challenged wine grapes. Before you know it, you’ll be demanding Tskhenisdzudzu and Grdzelmtevana from your local wine shop.
5. Help Georgian winemakers escape the grasp of Soviet apparatchiks.
4. Support diversity in the wine world. You have to like a country that’s held on to its difficult to market (not to mention difficult to pronounce) indigenous grape varieties.
3. Georgia Adopts “Prohibited in Russia” as Wine Advertising Slogan
2. The Russian parliament still drinks Georgian wine even if the public isn’t allowed. Some wine drinkers are more equal than others, comrade. . .
1. Don’t be so naïve, you no-drink-Georgian-wine-meany!

All of these wines I tasted here are from the Tamada brand, a collaboration of Pernod Ricard and Georgian Wines and Spirits. Unlike many Georgian wines, they’re dry and intended for import to western markets. Georgian Wines and Spirits also have an old Tblisi line that’s worth trying if you can’t find any of the Tamadas. All can be easily found in London at Soho Wines.

Read my complete tasting form notes on all three of these wines HERE

2001 Tamada Mukuzani Good, but not my favorite. A little too much new oak masking the other flavors

2002 Tamada Saparavi Excellent, unique cedar savory, smoky black and red currants, amazing level of acidiy for a red wine that somehow stays in balance.

2004 Tamada Mtsvane Excellent, unique white with citrus, pineapple, jasmine tea, licorice, spicy elegant finish.

Read more about the Georgian wine situation:

Decanter, Dr. Vino, Guardian, Kommersant, Wine Anorak

*Georgian here refers to the country that was part of the former USSR and not the US state. If you’re in Georgia USA and determined to sample the local produce, you may want to start here.

If you’ve caught the wine bug hard, the need to purchase a Laguiole corkscrew may have set in. You may already own one. Simply put, they’re the most elegant (and expensive) way to open a bottle of wine. And now that the reality-based wine community is clamoring for the end of cork in favor of screwcaps, why not make the best of this dying tradition?

There’s definitely not a small amount of confusion surrounding Laguiole corkscrews. For one thing, there’s the pronunciation. Officially, it’s pronounced [lah-yole] by the locals but most French speakers will say [la-gwee-ole]. Perhaps a little like the way Houston Street is pronounced [how-ston] in New York City. However, most of the confusion – and commercial chicanery – arises from the fact that Laguiole is not actually a brand name but simply a town in the south of France known for its high quality cutlery, knives and corkscrews. Unfortunately for them, the name was not trademarked so there’s no restriction on its use, which means a Laguiole corkscrew can come from anywhere in France (or China or Pakistan for that matter!). The most important part of buying a Laguiole is finding the real deal. We’ll take a detailed look at the two most famous Laguiole corkscrews, Château Laguiole and Forge de Laguiole as well as a low end Laguiole product.

First a short history, and the key word here is short. Although there’s a long tradition of Laguiole knife making dating back to the early 19th century, the designs of the classic Laguiole corkscrews we covet aren’t even 20 years old! The folding knife that made Laguiole famous first appeared in 1829 and was produced by blacksmiths for the local rural population. As popularity grew, mass production became necessary, with manufacture shifting 100 miles northwest to the larger town of Theirs. Laguiole resisted industrialization so that by 1981, all production of their famous knives was done in Theirs. Around this time some local businessmen set up an initiative to bring production back to its namesake town. In 1988, two forging mills were built – La Coutellerie de Laguiole and Forge de Laguiole – in Laguiole (La Coutellerie’s corkscrews aren’t widely available, so I don’t cover them here).

Château Laguiole

A year before either mill was set up; sommelier Guy Vialis introduced his famous Château Laguiole corkscrew. It was and still is produced in Theirs; a classic design with the recognizable markings of traditional Laguiole cutlery, including the traditional bee. Some say that the bee is actually a fly, signifying the bane of local shepherds, as the surrounding area is known for its cows. Naturally, this version of the story is not popular locally. The official explanation is that Napoleon Bonaparte’s imperial seal – the bee – was offered to the town of Laguiole as a token of his gratitude for their soldier’s courage in numerous battles. Some also insist that since the Château Laguiole is not made in the town of Laguiole, it’s not authentic. The reality is that most authentic Laguiole products have been made in Theirs for a very long time. The Château Laguiole is the one you’ll see at most sommelier competitions as they produce editions of their corkscrew commemorating winners of the World’s Best Sommelier Award given by the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale. The one pictured here is an update on the original called the Grand Cru. $109

Forge de Laguiole

This is the only corkscrew made entirely in the town of Laguiole in a very stylish factory designed by Philippe Starck. The Forge de Laguiole corkscrew introduced in 1995 and is also very stylish and sleek (although not designed by Stark). It’s nearly devoid of any of the traditional markings except for a small cross on one side of the casing. Early Laguiole knives also had this marking; with the blade stuck in a piece of bread, the cross formed a makeshift chapel for the local shepherds. It feels more solid and smooth in the hand than the Château Laguiole and its boot lever is finely integrated into the overall design. It looks more expensive and is. $137.50

Low-end Laguiole

Also know as Forgery de Laguiole or Shanty Laguiole, this is one to avoid. I purchased one in a regrettable Ebay moment (woo-hoo! a $40 Laguiole). Like most things that seem to be too good to be true it was. Two small chunks of wood are slapped on both sides of a cheap metal corscrew in a desperate attempt to make it look fancy. So instead of a bargain, it’s a rather expensive piece of junk. The name Laguiole here is no indication of quality. $40

Comparison

So which one is better? Obviously not the junky one, but they all do a decent job opening a bottle of wine; the determining factor here is not function but style. The final decision comes down to which design you prefer: the classic and traditional Château Laguiole or the sleek and stylish Forge de Laguiole. Either would make a perfect Father’s Day present for a wine obsessed dad.Buying a Laguiole corkscrew:

After you’ve made a decision on the style you like, the most important part is finding a reputable dealer, which is the only way to insure that you’re not buying a cheap counterfeit. Your trusted local wine shop may even stock them. Otherwise, here’s a list of trustworthy online merchants:

USA and Canada

Wine Appreciation Guild Forge de Laguiole only

Custom Curling Château Laguiole only in a wide variety of handle materials. also does customizations

Finely Corked Canadian wine accessory firm offers both brands

United Kingdom

Wine Ware UK wine accessory firm also offers both brands