2016 Capuchon Carignane

This week I'm reviewing another Winc wine. I try not to review wine that I bought from the same place two weeks in a row, but I have plenty of Winc wine in my apartment right now, and the snow storm last week prevented me from going to a local wine shop or wine bar and hunting for a different bottle. I don't think that there's anything wrong with drinking a lot of wine from the same seller or store, but I like to give you guys some variety. It worked out fine though, because I absolutely loved this week's wine.

The wine I tried was the 2016 Capuchon Carignane. This wine was made with only one grape varietal, Carignane, and the grapes came from Mendocino County, California. Carignane wines are typically found in Southern France and Northern Spain, where it's not well respected. It's often used as table wine, and not often seen on good wine lists. However, Carignane grown on the coast of California has done surprisingly well in the past decade. Carignane grapes don't make very good wine until the vine is at least 50 years old, and many vines that were planted in coastal California 50-60 years ago are now producing excellent grapes. When Carignane wine is done well, it can be compared to Merlot or a Cote du Rhone red blend, so if you enjoy either of those two types of wine, I highly recommend looking for a bottle of Carignane from Mendocino or Sonoma counties in California.

Now onto the scent and flavor profile of this particular wine. When I swirled this wine around in my glass and sniffed it, I immediately got notes of bright red fruits: cranberries, pomegranates, raspberries, and even strawberries. I also smelled cinnamon, clove, and star anise, so there were some spices under the bold fruit scents. When I tasted the wine I got those bright red fruit notes again, exploding on my tongue, but it wasn't too acidic or sweet. The spices balanced out the fruit well, and I also got notes of red bell pepper and a hint of oak, which further helped balance out the fruit-forward nature of the wine. The wine was well-balanced and had light tannins. It was very easy and enjoyable to drink, and I found myself quickly pouring a second glass.

I paired this wine with a stuffed sweet potato, and I think it went incredibly well with that dish. I think this wine would pair well with almost any food though, save for a very delicate white fish or a hearty steak. It's an enjoyable wine that's not too bitter, and not too acidic, so it would compliment many different flavors and textures. I loved this wine so much that I already added another bottle of it to my next Winc order, and that's not something that I typically do. I can not recommend this wine enough.