What is Cinsault?

Cinsault is the unsung hero of southern French wine. While Grenache and Syrah get top billing, Cinsault quietly contributes to millions of bottles of Provençal rosé, adding the strawberry freshness and silky texture that make those wines so irresistible on a summer terrace.

For decades, Cinsault was dismissed as a bulk grape — high-yielding and used mainly for blending. But a new generation of winemakers, particularly in Languedoc and South Africa, is rediscovering what old-vine Cinsault can do as a standalone wine. Low-yielding bushvines produce light, ethereal reds with strawberry, raspberry, and floral notes — think Beaujolais meets Provence. These wines are perfect slightly chilled and are naturals for warm-weather drinking.

The South African connection is fascinating. Cinsault was one of the country's most planted grapes, and in 1925, Professor Abraham Perold crossed it with Pinot Noir at Stellenbosch University, creating Pinotage — now South Africa's national grape variety.

Cinsault's low tannins and bright fruit make it incredibly food-friendly. It's brilliant with salade niçoise, grilled fish, Mediterranean vegetables, and light summer fare. For rosé lovers, Cinsault-based wines from Provence and Tavel offer some of the most elegant pink wines in the world.

Don't overlook Lebanese Cinsault either — the grape was widely planted during the French mandate and features in many of Lebanon's traditional blends.