Mother Rock Force Celeste Cinsault

Winemaker: Johan Meyer

Appellation: Swartland, South Africa

Grape Varieties: Cinsault

(Organically dry-farmed 30 year old bush vine cinsault + granitic sand over ironstone) x whole bunch ferment ÷ oak-free = glou glou.

The formula seems pretty simple but there hasn’t been much of this made in South Africa. Why? Because the ‘right’ touch coupled with the right grapes grown on the right site are not easy to come by. Hand-harvested cinsault from a south-eastern exposure site in Malmesbury was protected from oxygen after picking. Native yeast fermented entirely whole bunch in stainless steel for two weeks with one additional week for post-ferment maceration to bring a bit more grip. After seven months on the gross lees it is racked to be bottled without filtration or fining. Less than 25 ppm of SO2 was added.

Luminous purple. Upon getting your nose anywhere near the glass black cherries, cranberries and damson plum grab your attention. There are definitely underlying secondary aromas though of red rose petals, freshly opened red twizzlers and a newly carved pumpkin. Medium bodied, the palate echoes the nose with a touch of tarragon, white pepper and a dash of salt. It has some short tannins and reminiscent of very good Cru Beaujolais. Truly ‘vin de soif.’