Focal Point Cinsault 2018
About the wine
The easy breezy South African up-and-comer everyone should know about
- We’ve made $5 million available to help struggling wineries to survive and come out the other side of this Covid crisis. The closure of bars and restaurants across the globe has been a disaster for the independent winemakers who supply them. The little guys, without connections to the big supermarkets, are the ones who are suffering the most.
- South Africa’s lockdown has been one of the strictest in the world - with a total ban on alcohol sales. They're currently in the midst of a second total lockdown, where all wine sales were banned immediately - leaving the industry is on its knees. For a country with wine at its heart, it's been a huge blow.
- Cinsault has a long history in South Africa and has recently been growing in popularity due to its remarkably fresh fruitness. Keeping it light and vibrant with white pepper and blueberries on the nose, pomegranate and soft tannins on the palate - what's not to like!
Best before
Drink now to 2028
Serving advice
Open/ decant 15 mins before serving
Food match
Cinsault is known as a foodie wine - patricianly well suited to smoked salmon, braised and roasted meat dishes. Oven-roast chicken and a lovely slow roast leg of lamb.
Contains sulphites
Wine profile
Meet the winemaker - Arco Laarman
- Arco had his heart set on a life in wine well before he could even drink the stuff! In fact he'd barely broken into his teens when a tour of a Stellenbosch cellar took a firm hold of his imagination.
- At just 19 he moved to the Cape where he worked on 3 vintages with a top drawer winery and, as it happens, room shared with our very own Danie Steytler (a name you might recognise from some seriously tasty bottles on our shelves). Quickly working his way up the South African winemaking ranks, Arco established his own winery in 2016.
- Arco now seeks out the very best parcels of grapes from all over South Africa, highlighting with each wine the personality of its region. Chardonnay sits closest to Arco's heart but his flair for smooth red Cinsault and Syrah cannot be missed! Word has it that Arco is also a keen foodie, so those looking for some culinary inspo can look forward to the exciting new pairing recommendations coming your way...
Ratings
3,394
Followers
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