[EN] Var: Flashback from our wineyard with ancient Carignan grapes in Provence

When I was a kid, we had Carignan-variety of grapes. These vines were 80-year old.
When I turned 18, I declined my Dad’s offer to take over the wineyard. We then pulled out vines from hectares of fields in Roquebrune sur Argens (Provence).

In 2020, my Dad André Abbe tasted a random bottle of wine I found in Montpellier. He was pleasantly surprised: this wine had only one grape variety, Carignan! It took him back to the 40s until the 80s when we were harvesting our Carignan grapes (see picture). I love this picture: I was 11 and my grand-Dad was 79. Yes, François Abbe was still harvesting when he was 79. I was named after him.

In 2021, there are still vines with Carignan variety. But no one makes a wine with only this variety. Maybe one day?