Deep and savory, with concentrated black plum, dried fig, smoked meat, and iron-edged earth. The palate is full with firm, integrated tannins, a mid-palate of dried herbs and olive tapenade, and a long finish with a peppery fade.

Carignan nearly vanished from California during the replanting boom of the 1990s. The old vines that survived in Alexander Valley produce low-yield, intensely concentrated fruit that makes a strong case for the variety on its own. The 2021 Sonoma vintage delivered clean, well-structured fruit after a warm, dry summer with no significant smoke events.