Carignane

noun

Car·​i·​gnane ¦kä-rə-¦nyän 

¦ka-rə-¦nyan,

-¦nyän;

ˈka-rə-gən

variants or carignane or Carignan

¦kä-rə-¦nyän

or carignan

plural Carignanes or carignanes or Carignans or carignans

: a red wine of French origin that is often used for inexpensive blends

… old-school Mendocino wines such as Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Carignane …

—Tim Fish, Wine Spectator, 15 Nov. 2008

also : the grape from which the wine is made

And of all the grapes grown in Languedoc-Roussillon, none illustrates that transformation better than carignan, a long-underappreciated, bold and spicy red wine variety that is finally coming into its own.

—David Rosengarten, Saveur, October 2010

Word History

Etymology

French, from Carignan, town near Bordeaux, France

First Known Use

1876, in the meaning defined above

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