Cinsault is the grape you have probably drunk many times without noticing. It gives pale rosé from Provence its red-berry perfume, adds lift to Châteauneuf-du-Pape, holds up one corner of Château Musar, and in South Africa it is one of the parents of Pinotage. From old vines, on its own, it makes some of the most charming light reds around.
What Cinsault wine is: a southern French grape built for heat
Cinsault (also spelled Cinsaut) is an old variety from the south of France, at home in the Languedoc, Provence and the southern Rhône. It copes well with heat and gives generous crops, which is why it spread to North Africa, Lebanon and South Africa. The berries are large with thin skins, so the wines are naturally pale, soft in tannin and perfumed rather than dark and powerful.
In the glass, think strawberry, raspberry and red cherry, often with a floral note and a little spice. Young Cinsault is juicy and good slightly chilled; old, low-yielding vines add depth while keeping the lightness.
Cinsault rosé: the grape behind Provence pink
Cinsault is one of the principal grapes of Provence rosé, usually blended with Grenache and often with Syrah, Mourvèdre, Tibouren or Rolle. Cinsault brings freshness, delicate red fruit and that pale salmon colour. Château Minuty's Prestige and Rosé et Or, Château d'Esclans Whispering Angel, Château de Pampelonne, Miraval, Château Galoupet and the Domaines Ott estates Château de Selle, Clos Mireille and Château Romassan all lean on it.
Tavel, the Rhône appellation that makes only rosé, pairs Cinsault with Grenache for a darker, fuller style; try Domaine de la Mordorée La Dame Rousse or La Rocalière. Château Simone's Palette rosé and Domaine du Bagnol's Cassis show how Cinsault behaves on the limestone coast near Marseille, while Ambrine and Cap de Coste come from the Languedoc.
Varietal Cinsault red: old vines from South Africa and France
South Africa is where varietal Cinsault has had its most exciting revival. The grape was once the most planted red variety at the Cape, and growers now bottle old bush vines on their own. The Sadie Family's Pofadder comes from a parcel planted in 1973 on the Kasteelberg near Malmesbury and is one of the benchmark wines of the style. Kaapzicht's Cinsaut Skuinsberg is another old-vine bottling, and the Kaleidoscope red blends it with Pinotage and a long list of other grapes. See all of our South African wine.
Back in France, Domaine Hauvette's Cinsault from the Alpilles and Vincent Ruiz's A Mon Ami Faust from the Rhône show the grape as a pure, fragrant red with very little oak in the way.
Cinsault in Lebanon and the southern Rhône
Château Musar in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley is the most famous Cinsault blend in the world. The grand vin is Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault and Carignan, released after years of ageing and able to last decades. Musar Jeune Red is the younger, fruit-forward version, built on Cinsault, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon.
In Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Cinsault is one of the permitted varieties and adds perfume and freshness to Grenache-led blends. You will find it in Château de Beaucastel, including Hommage à Jacques Perrin, Clos des Papes, Le Vieux Donjon, and elsewhere in the southern Rhône in Henri Bonneau's Les Rouliers and the Rayas family's Fonsalette and Château des Tours wines.
Food pairing with Cinsault
Provence rosé suits grilled fish, salade niçoise and aioli; darker Tavel handles lamb and merguez. Light varietal Cinsault, served cool, is lovely with charcuterie, roast chicken and duck, while Musar and Châteauneuf want slow-cooked lamb and game.
Cinsault FAQ
How do you pronounce Cinsault?
Roughly "san-so". The final letters are silent, as so often in French.
Is Cinsault the same as Cinsaut?
Yes. Cinsaut is simply another spelling, common in South Africa and on many French labels.
Is Cinsault rosé dry?
Almost always. Provence, Tavel and Languedoc rosés built on Cinsault are dry wines with fresh acidity and red-berry fruit, not sweet blush wines.
What is the connection between Cinsault and Pinotage?
Pinotage was bred in 1925 at Stellenbosch by Professor Abraham Perold, who crossed Pinot Noir with Cinsaut. Because Cinsaut was known locally as Hermitage, the new grape was named Pinotage.