By Bruce Neyers

Thursday 5th February, 2026

The 2021 Carignan ‘Evangelho Vineyard’ – A close look at a serious wine

I’ve been in the wine business almost since Barbara and I moved to California in May of 1970. My education started with an introduction to French wines, and the generous people I initially worked for insisted that I experience the best of them. As a result, I wasn’t an everyday wine drinker at first, and it took time for me to grasp the importance of wines made from unfamiliar grape varieties. A year as an apprentice winemaker in Europe changed that, and I quickly gained an appreciation for fine wines that fit my budget. I was amazed at how many there were, and how much I liked them.

I later read that early in the Industrial Revolution, the French government planted Carignan on vast swaths of land in the southern regions near Montpelier, known as the Midi or the Languedoc. The land was inexpensive, the variety produced a large crop, it ripened easily, and when the vines came into production, the government produced the large volume of inexpensive wine needed to supply the workers pouring into the country. Much of the wine from this area is still made from Carignan, lots of it serious stuff. I was eager to visit this area in southern France when I began working for Kermit, so he arranged a trip for me in January 1993. I was overwhelmed by the number of fine wines made from Carignan.

A new generation of winemakers had settled in the area, I learned, many of them schooled at the nearby University of Montpelier. These talented young winemakers were producing some of the most exciting wines in France. They embraced traditional practices like low yields, low alcohol levels, and non-intervention. Under these conditions, Carignan gradually became a ‘noble wine’. The best of these wines invariably came from vineyards planted in interesting soils where the vines developed ‘a sense of place’. As my understanding of California wines increased, so too did my appreciation for Carignan. Tadeo and I began to seek out older Carignan vineyards similar to those I had encountered in France, and old-vine Carignan became an important part of Neyers Vineyards.

We rely largely on grapes grown by Frank Evangelho, near Oakley. His ungrafted vines were planted in the 1880’s. The growing conditions there allow for full maturity without over-ripe berries, so the alcohol levels are kept in check, and the finished wine is beautifully aromatic, rich, smooth, and complex. To many, it’s like opening a new page of wine history. I find it easy to enjoy a bottle. You should too.

Gratin of Cassoulet Beans and Fresh Chanterelles

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked Rancho Gordo Cassoulet beans
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon grated Swiss cheese
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
• ½ pound chanterelles, cleaned and sliced
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Butter a small baking dish.
3. In a blender or food processor, blend the beans, eggs, cream, salt and pepper.
4. Pour the mixture in the baking dish and top with grated cheese.
5. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until the top is browned and the center is set. If necessary, bake 10 minutes more until the center is set.
6. While the gratin is baking, sauté the chanterelles in olive oil until soft and fully cooked.
7. Cut the gratin into squares and top with the cooked chanterelles.