Wine Waterkloof, Circumstance Seriously Cool Cinsault, 2018
When winemaking sways from the traditional approach, the result is this exceptional Cinsault wine. By allowing the wine to ferment naturally, without interfering in the process, the winemaker has allowed an expressive, savory and highly intense wine to immerge as a result.
Characteristics
Wine Style:
White - This bush-vine white is light, fruity, and well-balanced, making it ideal for everyday drinking.
Tasting Notes:
The old bush vines gave rise to a soft, balanced tannin structure and elevated length. This wine is playful in its aromas with pronounced floral and perfume notes, backed by a savoury undertone. In the mouth the prominent fruit aromatics are complemented by soft tannins that develop effortlessly.
Gastronomy:
This wine can be enjoyed on its own but also pairs well with a variety of dishes, especially with pigeon.
Vineyards:
Seriously Cool Cinsault is produced from more than 35-year-old bush vines on the outskirts of Stellenbosch. Older vines are known to have reached optimal balance in growth and production through time. This allows for low yields and ripe fruit with intense flavours. The soils are of decomposed granite origin as well as sandstone with medium-sized stones, helping with drainage and moisture retention.
Ageing method:
The wine was aged for 8 months in 600L french oak barrels to finish malolactic fermentation.
Winemaking process:
Winemaker follows a traditional, minimalistic approach which means that he interferes as little as possible with the winemaking process. This allows the flavors prevalent in that specific vineyard to be expressed in the wine. To achieve this goal the whole bunches are carefully sorted and via gravity, placed in the wooden fermenters.
Interesting notes:
Cinsault vines have been grown for centuries in Southern France. In the Rhône and Languedoc regions it is primarily used as a supporting agent in red blends, especially Chateauneuf-du-Pape, to add spice and aromatics, whilst mellowing out harsh tannins. But perhaps its most important role in wine history took place in South Africa, where in 1925 it was crossed with Pinot Noir by Stellenbosch University Professor A.I. Perold in an attempt to create a unique South African varietal. Today this proudly South African varietal is known as Pinotage.
