Swartland Limited Release Carignan 2018
Once regarded as something of a workhorse grape, suitable only for cheap, high-volume blended wine, the fortunes of Carignan as a varietal have revived alongside those of the wines of Priorat, of which it is an important component. The hot, low rainfall climate of Swartland is perfectly suited to the grape, and this iteration by Swartland Winery shows exactly what it can do as a single varietal. On the nose are bright plum and raspberry fruits, carrying through onto the palate with a moreish mocha-like note from the barrel ageing and the richer flavours of dried fruits. It's an intense and well-structured wine, well suited to tomato-based pasta dishes and spicy pizzas.
Following a cool fermentation, the wine was matured in second and third fill French oak barrels for a period of 8 months. No animal-based fining agents or winery aids were used during the vinification.
The Swartland region of South Africa is at the forefront of the new wave Cape wine movement. Swartland Winery attempts to showcase the very best of this rugged, unforgiving terroir, crafting an expressive range of wines that typify the zeitgeist of the modern South African wine scene with the aid of vegan-friendly winemaking techniques.
Grape 100% Carignan
