Intensely aromatic floral and date nut bread–round and sweet and marvelously old-world–billows out of the glass practically at arm’s length.  Disgustingly concentrated nose, thick with candied black fruit, pesto, pecan and anise but in the mouth far leaner and restrained with gripping acidity and teeth-wiping tannin.  This thing is on year 6 and showing no signs of settling down but the gorgeous fruit holed up in the immense chalky hillside is not going anywhere and firing salvos of burnt rubber and rose blossoms at all who advance upon it.  Not too long ago Carignan was the most-planted variety in France and there were also vast amounts of it in CA’s Central Valley.  Not sure how true that is anymore.  I’ve always been a huge fan but they can be a little hard to find in a premium label. Well, here’s one for you.