Vitkin Carignan 2019

Cellar for up to 10 years. Decant up to an hour before serving.

The owners of Vitkin Winery in the Judaean hills take their experimentation seriously. Run by a merging of two families, this young kosher winery has employed the clay-rich soil of the Judaean Hills to marvelous effect, elevating grapes that other local wineries often overlook.

One example of this is Vitkin’s revival of the Carignan, an underrated French grape. Due to overplanting in the 1970s, Carignan has long had a reputation for being a “workhorse” wine. However, through careful craft, those at Vitkin Winery are pioneering quality Carignan in Israel, and giving this grape the attention and care it thoroughly deserves.

A beautiful deep purple in colour, this 2019 vintage has a rich red-fruit and blackberry nose, accompanied by rounded plum and cherry tastes on the palate and hints of vanilla. The natural spice flavourings of Carignan come through, with notes of cinnamon, star anise, and mint, letting you know that this comes from the sultry heart of the Mediterranean sea.

Carignan is an ideal companion for food, and this bottle is no exception. It marries well with roasted pork, turkey, or duck. Best enjoyed with a degree of spiciness, expanding on the spice of the wine by adding the likes of cinnamon, cumin, and star anise to your dish.