Remember in its prime time some 50 years ago it was actually the highest production red cultivar in South Africa, largely used in commercial red wines, as well as in ports and rosé wines. But, while quietly boosting some iconic reds by adding to the aroma and flavour profile.
“It is this mysterious factor linked to Cinsaut which has sparked the interest of a few younger generation winemakers to once again pursue the variety and attempt to revolutionise and re-introduce this stalwart, not only viticulturally and viniculturally, but also to consumers,” said Yvonne le Riche, who last year qualified as a Cape Wine Master with the dissertation titled Revolutionising Cinsaut.
Yvonne is the daughter of Etienne le Riche, well-known Stellenbosch winemaker, now cellarmaster and owner of Le Riche Wines in partnership with her and brother Christo, respectively in marketing and winemaking. And Cinsaut features in significant developments with their specialised portfolio.
The young Le Riches obviously have a lot to do with, in tandem with dad’s impressive track record in working with Cinsaut – having been at the winemaking helm of Rustenberg Wines for 20 years which was very successful with its Dry Red that comprised one-third Cinsaut with Cabernet Sauvignon.
They are now changing their flagship red, Richesse, from a Bordeaux style to a South African blend, by adding 12% Cinsaut, and will steadily increase this component over the vintages to come, said Le Riche senior in an interview. The rest of the 2014 vintage, to be released soon, comprises 27% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 18% Petit Verdot, 13% Cabernet Franc and 6% Malbec. “We’ve also made a Cab-Cinsaut in limited quantities and will still decide exactly what to do with.”
“Zonnebloem and Simonsvlei are probably examples of wineries which were very successful in the past with Cabernet that contained Cinsaut, as the origin system used to allow up to 30% without this being stated on the label.
“Chateau Libertas has also shown over the years how well it matures with a large component of Cinsaut, showing elegance and a good fruit element. But Cinsaut was pushed out by Merlot when Bordeaux blends become fashionable. Some winemakers now find this boring and are looking for new flavours, especially using Cinsaut – which produces nice wine, particularly when getting hold of old bush-vines. A lot of Cinsaut has been uprooted because it’s become profitable to grow other cultivars like Merlot,” said Le Riche.
An exponent of new style Cinsaut is Janno Briers-Louw, winemaker at the seventh generation farm Eenzaamheid in Agter-Paarl – a warmer climate area leaning towards the typical Swartland character where widespread dryland cultivation is practised. Janno has also just qualified as a Cape Wine Master, specialising in Dryland Viticulture. He said that Cinsaut does very well under dryland conditions and realises high yields, thereby in a sense being its own enemy. The berries have a thin skin and are sensitive to rot during harvesting in wet conditions. The thin skin also leads to sunburn damage when directly exposed to the sun, so most dryland Cinsaut is cultivated as bush-vines.
“Most Cinsaut grapes are still being sold to large producer cellars and the new generation of young Cinsaut enthusiasts use it to make premium quality wines, instead of it being lost in huge tanks to be blended for large volume reds and rosé wines,” he said.”
Janno is quoted in the Le Riche dissertation as saying,” Cinsaut is able to soften a blend, provide a desired red fruit aspect and, if harvested correctly, can lower the eventual alcohol. He believes that the variety’s contribution can be compared to that of Merlot in a Bordeaux style blend.”
The Eenzaamheid Cinsaut 2015 is a case in point, with light colour and pure fruit, ideal for summer enjoyment when slightly chilled (R99 a bottle).
Eben Sadie and Adi Badenhorst, neighbouring Swartland ‘revolutionaries’ pulled off the first ever Platter’s Five Star ratings for Cinsaut, namely for Sadie Family Pofadder 2013 in the 2015 edition and AA Badenhorst Family Wines Ramnasgras Cinsault 2014 in 2016. The AA Badenhorst CWG Auction Reserve Kalmoesfontein Ramnasgras Cinsault 2012 received 4 ½ stars in the 2015 Platter’s.
With Callie Louw (Porseleinberg) and Chris and Andrea Mullineux (Mullineux Wines) from Riebeek-Kasteel, they were the original movers behind the “Swartland Revolution”, held for six years until last year as an off-beat wine weekend in Riebeek-Kasteel. Here Chenin Blanc and Cinsaut featured strongly in expressing terroir, love for the soil and fruit purity.
Riebeek-Kasteel also saw the ground-breaking release of Mount Abora Saffraan Cinsaut 2014, made by Johan Meyer, “to create a Swartland wine from this forgotten grape that can rival the elegance and complexity of cool climate Pinot Noir wines”.
Yvonne le Riche discusses this wine, with Mullineux Family Wines Kloof Street Swartland Rouge 2011, BlankBottle My Koffer 2011, Sadie Family Wines Old Vine Series Pofadder 2012, Landskroon Cinsaut 2012 and Neil Ellis Cinsaut 2012, as leaders of the new movement.
A significant recent development has been the maiden release of Neil Ellis Cinsaut Noir 2012 at the end of last year from 40-year-old bush vines from Groenekloof in the Darling Hills as part of its Vineyard Selection range – actually an area where the grapes for several of the alternative Cinsaut stars are sourced.
The vinification by Neil’s son, Warren, includes partial fermentation and maturation in older 500 litre French vats. The wine portrays a complex mix of fruit and spicy notes and the price tag of R275 a bottle must be some record for a Cinsaut varietal wine.
Another young winemaker who is doing his own Cinsaut thing, is Louis van der Riet, from De Krans at Calitzdorp. He has created a blend of 50% Cinsaut and 50% Pinot Noir – thereby ‘re-marrying’ the parents of the Pinotage cultivar – in a wine called Louis Le Sueur Paradoks 2015. The “paradox” refers to the contradiction with the normal approach to striving for fuller bodied wines in Pinotage. Pinot Noir from the cool Outeniqua Mountains and Calitzdorp Cinsaut, planted in 1966, have resulted in a soft and elegant unfiltered and unfined red after the two separate components spent 14 months in third fill French oak Barrels (R160 a bottle).
Among the typically bizarre new labels and names is Pieter Walser of BlankBottle’s My Koffer, inspired by Tassenberg – a “tas” or “koffer” being Afrikaans for suitcase. Cinsaut has, of course, been the basis of this iconic vin ordinaire since 1936.
Yvonne le Riche mentions Tassenberg, alongside with Chateau Libertas, Alto Rouge, Uitkyk Carlonet, Schoongezicht and Rustenberg dry reds as icons in which Cinsaut played a special role.
After being a stalwart grape variety – also known as Hermitage and Cinsault – in the South African industry during the early and mid- 1900s, says Yvonne le Riche, it gradually declined in popularity from being the most planted red variety in the Cape’s vineyards in 1980.
Said Edo Heyns, the WineLand editor in a Netwerk24 article in June 2015 titled From Tassenberg to top class: “Chenin Blanc changed from a work-horse distilling grape into a white grape for top white wines and blends. And now Cinsaut is fast becoming its counterpart.”
Cinsaut today comprises only 1.9% of the country’s area under vines (Sawis). The cultivar-specific numbers are, however, growing again and the latest Platter’s lists 34. According to Yvonne, Cinsaut is internationally mostly used in blends, France leading overall with 63.34% of total use, followed by Lebanon and South Africa, 12.72% each (2012 figures).
“Should Cinsaut regain its popularity as a blending component, there may be merit in rather using this variety than others, once more popular, such as Merlot. If treated viticulturally correctly and with greater understanding of the winemaking and oaking regimes (if any), Cinsaut could yet play a far greater role than expected.”
“In my opinion, the traditional role of Cinsaut as a supporting blending component rather than a showcase varietal will play a larger part in the future. The major difference between today and the past is that, instead of hiding the use of Cinsaut in blends, it is a fact which can be highlighted and marketed.
“The South African wine industry has changed from being largely focused on volume and base wines destined for brandy / fortified wines to a far greater focus on quality. The quality approach is an avenue which might certainly be actively pursued for Cinsaut. The role which Cinsaut has historically played in our vinous past is undeniably significant, and perhaps it may ring true that, even for this variety, the proverbial wheel does turn.”
Winemaker pictures: Cassie du Plessis