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Winery
Angelo Rivano
Varietal: Carignan
Although nowadays most commonly associated with the wines of southern France – particularly Languedoc – and Sicily, the Carignan grape varietal was once an important indigenous Spanish grape, and was used in the production of early Rioja wines. Today, the grape is found in many different countries, and is most commonly used in blended wines, where its strong tannins and astringent nature can boost other, weaker bodied varietals to produce superbly balanced blends. Carignan grows in hot and dry conditions, and is particularly susceptible to rot and mildew, making it quite a challenging grape to cultivate. However, given careful treatment, the Carignan grape is capable of producing sumptuous single variety wines, packed full of interesting earthy flavors quite unlike other red wine grapes.
Country: Italy
There are few countries in the world with a viticultural history as long or as illustrious as that claimed by Italy. Grapes were first being grown and cultivated on Italian soil several thousand years ago by the Greeks and the Pheonicians, who named Italy 'Oenotria' – the land of wines – so impressed were they with the climate and the suitability of the soil for wine production. Of course, it was the rise of the Roman Empire which had the most lasting influence on wine production in Italy, and their influence can still be felt today, as much of the riches of the empire came about through their enthusiasm for producing wines and exporting it to neighbouring countries. Since those times, a vast amount of Italian land has remained primarily for vine cultivation, and thousands of wineries can be found throughout the entire length and breadth of this beautiful country, drenched in Mediterranean sunshine and benefiting from the excellent fertile soils found there. Italy remains very much a 'land of wines', and one could not imagine this country, its landscape and culture, without it.