The Somm Journal
Mijenta
Mijenta

Cariñena Comes of Age

The Birthplace of Garnacha Offers the World Distinctive New Wines Cultivated From Old Vines 

by Bob Bath, MS. 

There’s something wonderfully unique about Spanish wine, and, in my experience, it’s impossible to fall in love with a particular grape or wine: You fall in love with the entire region. 

My most recent affair is with Garnacha and its home region of Cariñena, located in Aragón in northeastern Spain. Though it lacks the notoriety of regions such as Rioja or Ribera del Duero—despite being the country’s second oldest DO—its connection to the Garnacha grape makes Cariñena a noteworthy experience based on its history, current winemaking, and future prospects. 

Local historical references to Garnacha in Aragón, the birthplace of the grape, date back to 1513 in Gabriel Alonso de Herrera’s Agricultural General. History, coupled with the sheer amount of clonal diversity and mutations of the grape in the region, counter any claims Sardinia has made of being its alternative place of origin. As the third most-planted variety in Spain, Garnacha has never lost its significance in the country. The region of Cariñena is renowned for having the highest density of Garnacha plantings, with the grape representing nearly a third of the entire vineyard acreage. 

Garnacha reached Sardinia, as well as southern France, likely by way of the Aragón empire. One of Europe’s most powerful regimes from the 15th through the 17th centuries, it spread as far north as southern France and as far south as Sicily. Such expansion explains the presence of Garnacha in regions such as Languedoc Roussillon and the Rhône.  

Zaragoza, Aragón’s historic capital, sits halfway between Madrid and Barcelona and is located on El Camino de Santiago. The globally-celebrated road leads to the legendary burial spot of St. James in Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, and is known as an inspiring pilgrimage for travelers to the region. As you step out of the beautiful Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar in Zaragoza, you immediately notice the path of seashells imprinted in the sidewalk, indicating the way. 

South of Zaragoza on a large plain in the heart of the Ebro Valley is where you will find the majority of Cariñena vineyards. Rimmed by the Systema Iberico Mountains to the south and the majestic, snow-topped Moncayo Massif to the north, vines are planted at 1,000 to nearly 3,000 feet above sea level. It only takes a brief visit to the Sanctuary of Nuesta Senora, just outside Paniza, to feel the Cierzo. This chilling wind provides a cooling diurnal shift for the entire region in the summer when temperatures can soar to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Soils in Cariñena vary from orange-brown, iron-laden clays to rounded stones (known as cascajos or cantos) and the fractured schist could lead you to believe you are standing in a vineyard in Priorat. A lack of rainfall after April and the ensuing heat during the summer months means ripening is rarely a challenge; the diurnal swings, meanwhile, ensure bright acidity and a natural balance in Cariñena’s wines. 

Old vines dominate the landscape. Trained en vaso and dry-farmed, Cariñena possesses more old vines than anywhere in Spain. Many 80 years and older, these vines have survived two World Wars and the Spanish Civil War—not to mention the temptation of many producers to plant more recognizable and ultimately more profitable grapes. Although Garnacha is the region’s dominant variety, there are also significant plantings of Cariñena (Carignan), Tempranillo, and even Macabeo. Cooperatives are the lifeblood of Cariñena, with the largest three (Bodegas Paniza, Bodegas San Valero, and Grandes Vinos) responsible for 80 percent of production. The range of wine styles is impressive: from extraordinary-valued young Garnacha to dramatic expressions from old-vine Garnacha and fascinating Garnacha-based blends. Bodegas San Valero, established in 1944, is the oldest of the three major cooperatives. Situated near the town of Cariñena, it works with more than 600 growers spread across 8,600 acres. The Bodegas San Valero Particular range offers excellent value and has helped pave the way in popularizing Cariñena wine in the U.S. 

Grandes Vinos, the largest of the three co-ops, manages 10,000 acres of vineyards across all of Cariñena’s 14 sub-districts. A leader in clonal research, the enologists at Grandes Vinos have identified four clones that are now mandatory for replantings in the region. Bodegas Paniza, meanwhile, resides in the most remote and highest part of southwestern Cariñena, where slate-laden soils dominate most of the hillside vineyards. Some of the vines here date as far back as 1906. Because it represents 400 different growers, one gets the sense that the entire village of Paniza works for the co-op.  

Perhaps the greatest asset of this region is its humility; the growers, winemakers, and export directors demonstrate great pride in Cariñena and its wines. They are driven by a sincere desire to bring the world exceptional wines with a regional distinction: an effort that came to fruition at the Global Garnacha Summit this past April in Napa, California, and will continue in other U.S. markets later this year.