2021 Markus Wine Co Carignane Nicolini Ranch Ancient Blocks Lodi 750 ml

Profit-minded magnates might have scoffed at Markus Niggli. 

The founder of Markus Wine Co. had agreed to revitalize Lodi’s Nicolini Ranch, whose ancient vines would require a ton of work. Farming by hand. Vigilant attention. And the only reward? Minuscule yields of Carignan. 

But one glass of the 2021 Markus Wine Co. Nicolini Ranch will leave no doubt he made the right decision. 

From vines planted in the 1930s—a half-century before Lodi earned AVA status—it’s a thoroughly dense and plush wine dominated by concentrated dark fruit, accented by notes of purple flowers, licorice, and cassis. Built on silky tannins, it’s an exemplar of ancient-vine Carignan, a grape whose single-variety bottlings belong in the cellar of anyone who loves bold red wines. 

Carignan was once the most widely planted red grape in California, but winemakers used it primarily in mass-produced wines, obscuring its spicy nuance and savory character. But, as Decanter put it, “to discover (or perhaps rediscover) Carignan is to happen upon a vinous jewel.” And nothing’s more exciting than old bush-trained examples. 

To qualify for registration with the Historic Vineyard Society, one-third of a site’s vines must be 50+ years of age. Nicolini’s are almost double that. They’re untrellised, and their gnarled tendrils reach skyward, producing small quantities of tiny, intensely concentrated grapes. In early 2021, Niggli began reinvigorating the vineyard, and he often works in the field alongside the owners and crew. 

Thoughtfully farmed ancient vines have become increasingly scarce in California, as they’ve been torn out in favor of more profitable varieties—or for housing developments. But as this Carignan shows, these sites aren’t just a piece of viticultural history. They produce fascinating, nuanced, and inarguably distinct wines.