Angus Paul Diapsalmata Cinsault 2022
Vineyards
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 of kilometres aways and the Helderberg looms behind them. For a good bottle, Cinsault really demands a good site, and this one has it all.
Winemaking and Maturation
Grapes are hand-picked and cooled overnight. The following morning they are put into bins to macerate as complete whole bunches, thoroughly trodden. No sulphur, yeast, acid, enzymes or water were added. Natural fermentation took place over 10 days, with a further 5 days for tannin development. 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. Wines were bottled in October after having spent 8 months in barrel with no racking.
Tasting Notes
White pepper is the foremast of the aromatics, pervading & pungent it almost fills the room. On its heels come the charming signatures of Cinsault: strawberries and crushed raspberries. The tannins are a fine but firm structure around an ethereal flavour core, and the granitic soils and maritime climate show their influence in the constant, natural brightness from the nose to the tail of the wine.
Technical Details
Alc: 1 2 . 5 7 %
T.A.: 4 . 7 g/L
R.S.: 1 . 8 g/L
pH: 3 . 7 7
