Description of the black grape variety Carignano
Carignano is a black grape variety entered in the National Register of Vine Varieties (Ministerial Decree 25/5/1970) and included in the List of recommended varieties for the provinces of Cagliari, Oristano, Nuoro and Sassari (EEC Reg. 1250/70). The decree also recommends it for the provinces of Ancona and Rome and authorises it in the provinces of Rieti and Viterbo.
Until 1946, Carignano was not mentioned among the vines cultivated in Sardinia. It was Dalmasso, in fact, who first reported its presence in vineyards replanted after the phylloxera invasion. In the province of Cagliari, phylloxera arrived late, around 1907-1908, but by 1926 it had already destroyed around 67,000 hectares of vineyards in the Campidano and Sulcis areas.
One of the most relevant ampelographic descriptions dates back to 1964, by Breviglieri and Casini, who analysed a strain preserved in the collection of the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Florence. At that time, Carignano was widespread in southern France, Algeria and Tunisia, Umbria, Tuscany and Sardinia. It was known by numerous synonyms: Boi dur, Carignan, Carignena, Mazuela, Mollard, Girard and Uva di Spagna.
The same authors emphasised its economic importance in Sulcis and on the island of Sant'Antioco, where it was used for the production of a dry and generous amaranth-red 'half-cut' wine. Later, Vodret (1993), Deidda (1994) and Calò with his collaborators (2001) also provided further contributions on the characteristics of the grape variety and its wines.
Today, Carignano is widely cultivated in Sardinia, with a clear prevalence in Sulcis, especially in the municipalities of Giba, Sant'Anna Arresi, San Giovanni Suergiu, Santadi, Masainas, Carbonia, Sant'Antioco and Calasetta. In particular, a total of 353 hectares of Carignano are cultivated in the two municipalities on the island of Sant'Antioco. The predominantly sandy soils offer average yields of between 20 and 50 quintals per hectare. In the 1970s, the area under Carignano vines on the island reached 2,500 hectares.
Ideal growing conditions: climate, soil and farming techniques
The prerequisite for free-standing cultivation is the presence of a very high percentage of sand in the soil (above 90%). This composition partly includes clay and silt, but prevents phylloxera from completing its life cycle, making it possible to grow ungrafted vines.
The island's climate is typically Mediterranean, with low rainfall (between 350 and 450 mm per year) and strong sunshine. This climatic environment, particularly severe, is perfectly suited to the rustic nature of the Carignano, a vigorous and productive cultivar capable of adapting to water and thermal stress. Winegrowers adopt aridoculture strategies to facilitate the vine's adaptation, intervening with continuous soil tillage to eliminate weeds and employing very dense bush-trained plantings. Each plant, however, produces little in terms of both grapes and vegetation.
This aspect is of great importance in drought contexts: a plant with a reduced canopy has a smaller transpiring leaf surface, thus limiting water loss and is better adapted to an environment where water resource is the main limiting factor.
Free-foot Carignano vs. other varieties
The free-range Carignano vine is clearly distinguished from grafted varieties. Free-range vines are extremely long-lived, often exceeding 100 years, thanks to a root system that penetrates deeper into the soil. This allows the plants access to water and nutrients even in periods of severe drought.
Moreover, the absence of rootstock allows a more direct transmission of soil characteristics to the wine, contributing to an authentic expression of terroir. In Sulcis, this expression is unique: marine sands, an arid climate, constant winds and the presence of saltiness impart an unrepeatable character to the wines. In other territories, the use of rootstock may attenuate or modify this identity, making the wine less representative of its place of origin.
While grafted plants offer greater resistance to phylloxera, they have a shorter average life span and less 'natural' behaviour in nutrition and water management. Furthermore, although they are more productive, they tend to concentrate less tannins, polyphenols and especially resveratrol, a powerful antioxidant.
Conclusion
The free-range Carignano del Sulcis represents a rare example of authentic viticulture, where tradition is perfectly intertwined with unique environmental conditions. Its uniqueness lies not only in the variety, but above all in the way it integrates with the land, resulting in distinctive, expressive and fascinating wines.
