The Exception That Proves the Rule Cinsault 2024

Waterkloof, teknisk ark/fact sheet (waterkloofwines.co.za – linket fra waterkloofwines.co.za, hentet 2026-10-18): 2024 Waterkloof The Exception That Proves the Rule Cinsault; druer: Cinsault; alkohol 13.5%. Producentens noter (engelsk): Fact sheet: Something that emphasises the general truth of a statement by disagreeing with it. THE RULE – Cinsault, specifically from old vines, is capable of perfumed, immensely appealing red wines. However, if seeking something profound, look elsewhere. Unless that is, one chances upon… THE EXCEPTION – In 2024, out of the blue, these old vines’ grape-size and production-level plummeted. The resulting wine is unrecognisable from all that came before. It is THE EXCEPTION THAT PROVES THE RULE. OLD VINES IN AN EXCEPTIONAL VINTAGE Two small parcels of dry-farmed bush vine Cinsault in Stellenbosch. One planted in decomposed granite soils on The Heldeberg, just 4km from False Bay back in 1996. The other planted a year earlier in sandy soils, further inland but on a cool south-facing slope in Bottelary Hills. Being old, dry-farmed and rather windy these two vineyards normally yield at a meagre 4-5ton/hectare. However, in 2024 these two old boys gave up a miserly yield of just 2.5tons/hectare and the corresponding profile of the grapes and resulting wine is something exceptional. For context, a typical production for young vine, irrigated Cinsault would be 10-15tons/hectare. We follow a traditional, minimalistic approach which means that we interfere as little as possible with the winemaking process. This allows the flavours prevalent in that specific vineyard to be expressed in the wine. To achieve this goal the whole bunches are carefully sorted and, via gravity, placed in our wooden fermenters. WINEGROWING The approach is natural and simple, yet also rigorous and labour-intensive. Grapes are hand-picked. They are then hand-sorted by the team at False Bay Vineyards and fermented whole bunch with wild yeast in an open-top oak fermenter, with manual punch downs during fermentation. Left on the skins and stems for 21 days before being pressed off in a basket press and transferred to older barriques for a maturation period of 19 months before bottling without fining and only the lightest of filtrations. Minimal SO2 added with no further additions. 8250 bottles made. TASTING NOTES Colour: Bright, translucent ruby in colour Aroma: Lifted aromas of red cherry and rose petal, underscored by subtle hints of white pepper and dried herbs. Taste: The palate is light on its feet yet finely structured, with supple tannins and pure red-fruit clarity. […]