| Carignan is more affordable than the other | | | | homemade style. What I'll add here are more |
| varietals perhaps because of the following qualities: | | | | important things you should remember when |
| Its ripening process takes quite longer than the | | | | making Carignan wine homemade. |
| others. | | | | As I've mentioned, it takes a longer period for |
| Because it takes long to ripen, its susceptibility to | | | | Carignan grapes to become ripe. So when you |
| spring frost is decreased therefore, it can produce | | | | start choosing the grapes, be very careful and |
| huge quantities. | | | | thorough. Once you pick the ripest of the bunch, |
| However, it tends to be sensitive to powdery and | | | | you're sure to produce a richer and more flavorful |
| downy mildew. | | | | kind of wine. Although, it will also depend on |
| Having said all these things, Carignan grapes must | | | | whether the grapes used are crushed or |
| be carefully chosen and picked. As a winemaker, | | | | uncrushed. The kind that responds best to |
| especially novice ones who are dabbling into wine | | | | fermentation are the uncrushed ones. For |
| homemade, make sure that the grapes you pick | | | | smokey aroma, take out the twigs and stems. If |
| are free from rot and mildew to make sure that | | | | you were not able to take them out, then you'll |
| the wine you produce later on is not | | | | produce sweet wine. |
| contaminated. | | | | If you want to produce earthy and fruity wines, |
| Carignan is also popular in France but not as | | | | you just have to make the process of |
| popular as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The | | | | fermentation cool and short. Otherwise, you can |
| reason for this is that compared to those two, | | | | heat the fermenter under the heat of the sun to |
| Carignan is quite more acidic and tannic in nature. | | | | get the opposite result. Just be careful because |
| This makes it a bit harder to produce great | | | | you wouldn't want your wine homemade to be |
| tasting wine. One needs to keep balancing the | | | | spoiled. Regarding the overall time period |
| flavor by either adding more sugar and less tannin | | | | consumed in making your wine homemade, the |
| to the mixture. On the other hand, these | | | | size of your container or vat or fermenter is a |
| characteristics are also the very reason why | | | | huge factor. In case you have smaller vessels, |
| Carignan grapes are affordable than the other | | | | you can still produce quality wine if you keep the |
| varietals and are also the best choice for | | | | time period short. |
| everyday consumption and for making wine | | | | New wood is not needed when storing your |
| homemade. | | | | homemade Carignan particularly if it's just less |
| Would you like to find out how to make Carignan | | | | than 100 gallons in quantity. You may use a glass |
| wine homemade style? It's just very simple | | | | of stainless steel instead. If you like your wine to |
| actually. There are basic wine directions you can | | | | have some oak character added in it, you can |
| follow which are pretty similar with the | | | | just drop some oak chips at the bottom of your |
| instructions on how to make Merlot wine | | | | container. |