Stellenbosch Cinsault

Goes well with pork ribs or pork chops, beef carpaccio and cheese.

These old bush vines planted in 1974, in the shadows of the Helderberg Mountain are planted in decomposed granite and face west towards False Bay, making it the closest block we have to the sea and our oldest. Planted on rising ground on one of my regular cycling routes. It is this rising ground that aided its discovery. Although I may have been horribly out of breath, the speeds were low and I could afford to look around. My shock when I spotted this block that had survived Stellenbosch’s wine trends of the 90’s.

Malolactic fermentation occurs naturally in concrete egg where it is aged for 12 months.

The last of our cinsault to be picked in early-March. Destalked and allowed to ferment with only manual pigaege to gently mix the cap. Fermentation last 10-14 days when it is carefully pressed using a manual basket press.

The historical Natte Valleij Farm situated at the foot of the Simonsberg is not a new cellar it’s just been resting for the last 50 years. Famed for its brandy in years gone by it was one of the largest cellars in the area but sadly winemaking ceased in the 50’s. It was bought by the Milner Family in the late 60’s and for 27 years it bred some of South Africa’s finest racehorses. Winemaker Alexander Milner strives to make wine with minimal interference and pretence merely guiding beautiful grapes into character full wines -preserving the intrinsic link between grape and bottle.