If you like this, try…
Wines like Carignan
A high-yielding Mediterranean variety, dismissed for decades and now prized where old bush vines survive. Below: what to try next, grouped by the direction you want to travel.
Refine
What do you like about Carignan?
Optional — the results below already work without it. But “I like Malbec” is at least four different preferences wearing one name, and saying which one you mean changes the answer substantially. Only qualities this wine actually has are offered.
What these words mean
- The firm, grippy structure
- High tannin — the drying grip on your gums, like over-brewed tea. It gives a red something to hold on to with rich food, and it is what lets a wine age.
- How full and weighty it is
- Body is how much the wine seems to fill your mouth — the difference between skimmed and whole milk. It comes mostly from alcohol and ripeness.
- That it is not oaky
- No barrel character — just the fruit and the acidity. Chablis and Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc are the reference points.
- The savoury, meaty side
- Leather, olive, cured meat, dried herbs, tobacco. It is what people mean by calling a wine "serious" rather than "fruity", and it comes with age as well as with place.
- The earthy, mineral side
- Forest floor, wet stone, mushroom, damp earth. Widely described and much less well explained than wine writing implies — the sensation is real, the causal story usually is not.
- That it is properly dry
- No perceptible sugar at all. Almost all red wine is dry and a good deal of white wine is not, which is why this is a more useful thing to say about a white than about a red.
Looking for something moving away from too plain or too simple and too drying or too tannic.
Based on what you said
Ranked against the qualities you named rather than against the wine as a whole. The directions below are refined the same way.
Rioja Gran Reserva
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
- Substantially less plain or too simple.
- Substantially less drying or too tannic.
California Cabernet Sauvignon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
- Substantially less plain or too simple.
- Substantially less drying or too tannic.
Hemel-en-Aarde Pinot Noir
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
- Substantially less plain or too simple.
- Substantially less drying or too tannic.
Pinot Noir
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
- Substantially less plain or too simple.
- Substantially less drying or too tannic.
Zinfandel
Both are made from carignan, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
- Substantially less plain or too simple.
- Substantially less drying or too tannic.
Red Burgundy
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
- Substantially less plain or too simple.
- Substantially less drying or too tannic.
Spätburgunder (German Pinot Noir)
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
- Substantially less plain or too simple.
- Substantially less drying or too tannic.
California Pinot Noir
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
- Substantially less plain or too simple.
- Substantially less drying or too tannic.
Closest overall
Nearest neighbours, no change of direction.
Closest matches
The nearest overall neighbours across structure and flavour, with no deliberate change of direction.
Rioja Gran Reserva
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be spicier, and more savoury.
California Cabernet Sauvignon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more fruit-driven.
Hemel-en-Aarde Pinot Noir
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and lighter.
Pinot Noir
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and spicier.
Different grape, similar feel
Deliberately excludes the variety you already know, to find a genuinely new wine that fills the same role.
Rioja Gran Reserva
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be spicier, and more savoury.
California Cabernet Sauvignon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more fruit-driven.
Hemel-en-Aarde Pinot Noir
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and lighter.
Pinot Noir
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and spicier.
Change the structure
Same idea, different weight, grip or freshness.
Similar but lighter
Keeps the character but reduces weight, alcohol and density in the mouth.
Pinot Noir
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and spicier.
Red Burgundy
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and spicier.
Spätburgunder (German Pinot Noir)
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and more floral.
Hemel-en-Aarde Pinot Noir
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and stronger and warmer.
Similar but lower in alcohol
Holds the character and the weight where it can, and moves specifically on strength. Note that below about 11% the choices narrow sharply, and below 5% they are mostly a different category rather than a lighter version of the same one.
Red Burgundy
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and spicier.
Pinot Noir
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and spicier.
Spätburgunder (German Pinot Noir)
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and more floral.
Cru Beaujolais
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and more floral.
Similar but fuller
Keeps the character but adds weight, concentration and mouthfeel.
Argentine Malbec
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and more floral.
Primitivo
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and fruitier.
Ribera del Duero
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more tannic and structured, and spicier.
Super Tuscan
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more tannic and structured, and more herbal and green.
Similar but less tannic
For readers who find firm reds drying. Reduces tannic grip while holding flavour and weight roughly steady.
California Cabernet Sauvignon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more fruit-driven.
Rioja Gran Reserva
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be spicier, and more savoury.
Zinfandel
Both are made from carignan, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and spicier.
Merlot
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Similar but more structured
More tannic architecture, for food or for ageing.
Priorat
Both are made from carignan.
Expect: Expect it to be more tannic and structured, and less oaky.
Tannat
Both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more tannic and structured, and less oaky.
Madiran
Both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more tannic and structured, and less oaky.
Baga
Baga scores closest to Carignan across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be more tannic and structured, and less oaky.
Similar but fresher
Raises acidity and overall lift, usually by moving to a cooler-climate expression.
Red Burgundy
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and spicier.
Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and more floral.
Oregon Pinot Noir
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and more floral.
Barbera d’Asti
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and less tannic and softer.
Similar but softer
Lowers acidity and sharpness in favour of a broader, gentler feel.
California Cabernet Sauvignon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more fruit-driven.
Zinfandel
Both are made from carignan, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and spicier.
Merlot
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Carmenère
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and more herbal and green.
The sparkling version
Moves to a sparkling expression while holding the flavour and weight as close as possible.
Sparkling Shiraz
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and sweeter.
Lambrusco
Lambrusco scores closest to Carignan across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and stiller.
Lambrusco Grasparossa
Lambrusco Grasparossa scores closest to Carignan across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and stiller.
Rioja Gran Reserva
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be stiller, and spicier.
Similar but sweeter
Adds perceptible sweetness, which also softens acidity and chilli heat.
California Cabernet Sauvignon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more fruit-driven.
Tawny Port
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and sweeter.
Zinfandel
Both are made from carignan, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and spicier.
Vin Doux Naturel
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and sweeter.
Change the flavour
Same shape, different aromatic character.
Similar but less oaky
One of the commonest requests in wine. Strips oak influence while holding grape character and weight.
Nothing in WineHQ's catalogue makes this move meaningfully from here. These are the closest wines otherwise, but do not expect them to deliver what you asked for — the honest answer is that this style does not have a good neighbour in that direction.
Rioja Gran Reserva
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be spicier, and more savoury.
California Cabernet Sauvignon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more fruit-driven.
Zinfandel
Both are made from carignan, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and spicier.
Pinot Noir
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and spicier.
Similar but more oaky
Adds barrel character, toast and a creamier texture.
California Cabernet Sauvignon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more fruit-driven.
Rioja Gran Reserva
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be spicier, and more savoury.
Rioja
Both are made from carignan, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more tannic and structured, and spicier.
Rioja Reserva
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more tannic and structured, and spicier.
Similar but more aromatic
More to smell before you taste — floral, fruity or spiced aromatics.
Pinot Noir
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and spicier.
Syrah
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more tannic and structured, and less oaky.
Malbec
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be more tannic and structured, and less oaky.
Cabernet Franc
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and more herbal and green.
Similar but more restrained
For readers who find intensely aromatic wines tiring over a whole glass. Keeps the structure, turns the volume down.
Nothing in WineHQ's catalogue makes this move meaningfully from here. These are the closest wines otherwise, but do not expect them to deliver what you asked for — the honest answer is that this style does not have a good neighbour in that direction.
Rioja Gran Reserva
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more aromatic, and spicier.
California Cabernet Sauvignon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more aromatic, and fruitier.
Hemel-en-Aarde Pinot Noir
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and more aromatic.
Zinfandel
Both are made from carignan, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and more aromatic.
Similar but more floral
Pushes specifically towards rose, violet, blossom and elderflower character.
Pinot Noir
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and spicier.
Red Burgundy
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and spicier.
Spätburgunder (German Pinot Noir)
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and more neutral and subtle.
Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and more neutral and subtle.
Similar but more savoury
Moves away from primary fruit towards earth, herb, meat and umami character.
Rioja Gran Reserva
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be spicier, and broader and softer.
Chianti Classico Riserva
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be more tannic and structured, and less oaky.
Chianti Classico Gran Selezione
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be more tannic and structured, and less oaky.
Northern Rhône Syrah
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more tannic and structured, and less oaky.
Similar but fruitier
More obvious, generous fruit flavour, usually from a warmer climate.
California Cabernet Sauvignon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be broader and softer, and fruitier.
Zinfandel
Both are made from carignan, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and spicier.
California Pinot Noir
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and fruitier.
Barbera d’Alba
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and less oaky.
Change the place
Keep the grape, move it somewhere else.
Same grape, somewhere else
Holds the variety constant and changes the place, which is often a bigger change than swapping the grape.
Zinfandel
Both are made from carignan, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and spicier.
Rioja
Both are made from carignan, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more tannic and structured, and spicier.
Bekaa Valley Red
Both are made from carignan, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be more tannic and structured, and less oaky.
Montsant
Both are made from carignan.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and more tannic and structured.
Same grape, cooler climate
Typically fresher, lighter and more herbal, with lower alcohol.
Nothing in WineHQ's catalogue makes this move meaningfully from here. These are the closest wines otherwise, but do not expect them to deliver what you asked for — the honest answer is that this style does not have a good neighbour in that direction.
Rioja
Both are made from carignan, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more tannic and structured, and softer and rounder.
Bekaa Valley Red
Both are made from carignan, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be more tannic and structured, and less oaky.
Zinfandel
Both are made from carignan, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and softer and rounder.
Southern Rhône blend
Both are made from carignan, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and softer and rounder.
Same grape, warmer climate
Typically riper, fuller and more generous in fruit, with higher alcohol.
Priorat
Both are made from carignan.
Expect: Expect it to be more tannic and structured, and less oaky.
Zinfandel
Both are made from carignan, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and spicier.
Southern Rhône blend
Both are made from carignan, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure, both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and lighter.
Rioja
Both are made from carignan, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more tannic and structured, and lighter.
Change the mood
Safer, stranger, cheaper or more serious.
A safe next step
Well-known wines that are widely available and unlikely to surprise anyone.
Rioja Gran Reserva
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be spicier, and more savoury.
California Cabernet Sauvignon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more fruit-driven.
Pinot Noir
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and spicier.
Zinfandel
Both are made from carignan, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and spicier.
Something more adventurous
Less familiar wines that occupy similar territory — the interesting end of the shelf.
Hemel-en-Aarde Pinot Noir
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and lighter.
Spätburgunder (German Pinot Noir)
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and more floral.
Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and more floral.
Corvina
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and spicier.
A better-value alternative
Wines that occupy similar sensory territory from regions carrying less price premium. WineHQ does not hold live prices, so this reasons from regional reputation and demand rather than from a price feed — treat it as a lead, not a quote.
Hemel-en-Aarde Pinot Noir
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and lighter.
Spätburgunder (German Pinot Noir)
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and more floral.
Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and more floral.
Corvina
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and spicier.
A step up
The benchmark expressions of the same territory, usually with more concentration, structure and ageing potential.
Ribera del Duero
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more tannic and structured, and fuller and richer.
Amarone della Valpolicella
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be more tannic and structured, and less oaky.
Priorat
Both are made from carignan.
Expect: Expect it to be more tannic and structured, and less oaky.
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and more tannic and structured.
Each suggestion is scored across sixteen taste dimensions, weighted so that structure matters more than flavour, and adjusted for whether the wine actually moves in the direction you asked for. Curated links from an editor carry extra weight — but only when the editor tagged them for this direction. Nothing here is a black box; see the taste model for the full method.