Carmine

Carmine is a UC Davis cross — Cabernet Sauvignon-Carignan hybrid crossed again with Merlot — bred to bring Bordeaux-style character to California's warmer growing regions. CDFA tracked it from 2000 through 2013, with bearing acreage reported at 102 acres in 2001 and plantings recorded in Kern, Santa Barbara, Solano, Sonoma, and Tulare counties. Crush volumes were substantial in early years, reaching as high as 422 tons in a single year, though prices stayed low, topping out around $2,500 a ton. Reporting stopped after 2013, suggesting the acreage was pulled out or folded into other varietal categories.