Mount Abora Saffraan Cinsaut 2017
By Christian Eedes, 25 February 2020
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1
Spice is nice.
If you want your red wine to provide depth and power, then Cinsault is probably not the variety for you. However, if you’re looking for a lighter-style red that offers great drinkability in a warm climate, you’re going to have plenty of joy, the Saffraan Cinsaut 2017 from Mount Abora (note the old-school spelling of the variety) a case in point.
Grapes from a 39-year-old Swartland vineyard, winemaking involved whole-bunch fermentation before maturation lasting six months in tank. The nose is an extremely attractive mélange of red fruit and fresh herbs, white pepper and a vague earthiness. The palate meanwhile is light (alcohol is 11.15%) but there’s nevertheless a great core of fruit to go with a cracking line of acidity and crunchy tannins. Plenty of flavour to go with a jolting sense of energy. Price: R120 a bottle.
CE’s rating: 92/100.
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Peter May | 25 February 2020
Ref the spelling of Cinsaut without the unnecessary French addition of ‘L’: Cinsaut is the name ZAR used, and adopted when Hermitage was banned. In Jancis Robinson’s ‘Wine Grapes’ they try to use the original authoritative spellings of grapes* and Cinsaut is what they use.
I think its a shame (and a cultural cringe) to see the Cape adopting the French spelling.
*Zinfandel is found as a synonym under Tribidrag