Wellington Old Vines Basson Cinsault

Cinsault as a wine and food pairing is often used with sea snails in garlic, better known as Escargot. It also works quite well in pairings with rich foods like stews, braised and roasted meat dishes.

From a historic parcel of dry-farmed bush vine Cinsault planted in 1900 in the deep sandy alluvial soils in Wellington. This is South Africa's oldest registered red wine vineyard.

After fermentation, 3 weeks skin contact is given, and the wine is then drained and pressed to barrel. The wines are racked and blended mid-way through the year and bottled after 20 months in barrel.

The cool grapes are crushed and destemmed into tank, with 100% whole clusters. Minimal sulphur is added, and no further additions are made. The fermentation begins without inoculation and the wine is pigeaged twice a day. Temperatures are not allowed to exceed 26°C. Fermentation lasted 11 days.

The Leeu Passant winery, based in Franschhoek, was established in 2013 with the purpose of harnessing the most exciting vineyards of the Cape in order to create multi-regional wines from vineyards aimed at expressing the Cape as a whole (not only from Franschhoek). The Name “Leeu Passant” is derived from Heraldry, referring to a ‘passing Lion’ and this is the symbol on the top of the capsule. Chris and Andrea Mullineux search far and wide for the best parcels of grapes for these wines, and make them at the Leeu Passant base, on Leeu Estates.