£7.99 (on offer), Waitrose
It hasn't come soon enough but Cinsault (or Cinsaut) has finally shed the label 'workhorse' that stalked it for so long and is being valued as a red grape variety in its own right, especially when the vines are old, as here. It's surprising in some ways that it should have been so under-appreciated. It claims status in Châteauneuf-du-Pape as one of the permitted varieties, it's a key component of many Provence rosés and it's one parent of the important South African variety Pinotage, but it took climate change and renewed respect for old vines to put it on the road to rehabilitation.
This red Cinsault is from the large family-owned Stellenrust estate in Stellenbosch. It's medium bodied and was matured for 12 months in French oak barrels and perfectly expresses the variety's appeal in its aroma of roses, red berries and vanilla and the softly fruited, lightly spiced, mocha-brushed palate.
Best served cool, or even lightly chilled, and you can drink on its own, but it goes down well with charcuterie, chorizo, dishes seasoned with za'atar, lamb scottaditto with grilled cherry tomatoes, salads with feta and stuffed peppers. 13.5%
Stellenrust Stellenbosch Manor Cinsault 2019, Stellenbosch, South Africa
£7.99 until 3 October, then full price £9.99, Waitrose
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