Diapsalmata Cinsault

Beef, Lamb, Poultry

One sight: Firgrove; one grape: Cinsault. A vineyard that fell out of the sky. Planted in 1966 along one of the least picturesque (present day) but unsung terroirs of the Cape, whose greater area is now known as Macassar. These old vines dig deep into the coarse red granite soils, the sea a couple kilometers aways and the Helderberg looms behind them. For a good bottle, Cinsault really demands a good site, and this one has it all.

Wines were bottled in October after having spent 8 months in barrel with no racking.

Grapes are hand picked and cooled overnight. The following morning they are put into bins for maceration as complete whole bunches and are thoroughly trodden. No sulphur, yeast, acid, enzymes or water were added. Natural fermentation took place over 10 days after which a maceration was carried out until the tannins had developed satisfactorily (about 5 more days). After draining, the remaining grapes were pressed to large old wooden barrels. A spontaneous malolactic fermentation then took place, and in early Autumn wines were sulphured for the first time.

The profoundest facet of wine, beyond its flavour, is when and where it can be utterly unique - otherwise all the wine in the world might as well come from a single factory in France (or Taiwan). Angus Paul Wines looks to identify that which makes South Africa unique; combining its old rocks, atavistic gees and quasi-indigenous varietals to produce wines that could only come from the windy Cape. Chenin blanc and Pinotage take the lead roles in the winery - along with a small but genuine supporting cast of other grapes - where they are left untampered to bear the transcription of the sunshine, soil and soul of the Western Cape.