Good news for our Bordeaux aficionados in general and those who have been enjoying Château Carignan Prima 2008 in particular. And if you have not, there will be one more opportunity, thanks to our ABC Fine Wine & Spirits wine buyers, who have been able to secure the very last of the 2008 Prima. Fifty more cases of this fine wine are on their way to Florida as we speak, directly from the château’s cellars.

This wine has become a favorite among all who have tasted it, and for that reason, we have sold out of it already twice. The wine is evolving slowly and gracefully and is now showing better than ever! The 2008 Prima has received a gold medal at the prestigious Concours de Bordeaux in 2011 and was rated 90 points by James Suckling.

The 2008 Prima exhibits saturated, dark ruby color and a complex, aromatic bouquet of currant, blackberry, cedar and spice. The wine has gained even more body; the mouthfeel is persistent, precise and round, with assertive but silky tannins, and rich fruit flavors of black-currant, blackberry and spicy oak. The incredible 30+ seconds finish leaves a velvety sensation.

Château Carignan is one of Bordeaux’s largest estates; the domain covers an area of ​​150 hectares total, of which 70 hectares are vineyards planted on stony hillsides of predominantly clay-limestone soil with southwestern exposure. The vineyard is composed of 30% 40-year-old vines and 70% between 8-25 years of age. The varieties are divided into 65% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet Franc. The entire production is vinified and bottled at the domain; no grapes are ever sold to other producers.

Château Carignan is embracing the sustainable approach in farming. Most importantly, no herbicides are ever used in the vineyards of Château Carignan and occasionally organic fertilizer, from the Château’s own herd of Limousin cows, is used. 

Prime quality terroir and impeccable vinification are obviously not a rarity in Bordeaux, the worlds’ largest fine-wine region. What makes the wines of Château Carignan unique is the next step: distribution. In fact, the wines of Château Carignan are directly distributed to only select wine retailers in the United States and are not available through the Place de Bordeaux and the négoce network after 2009. Cutting out the middle man adds even more value to the high quality, moderately priced wines from Château Carignan. 

At only $24.99, it's one of the best wines you can get at this price. 

Atanas Nechkov, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits wine supervisor

Follow me on Twitter @abcwineatanas