Carignan-Cinsault

Carignan - Cinsault | McLaren Vale - Australia

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About

2018 was a warmer vintage than ’17, so perversely Ben & Mauricio picked the fruit less ripe than in 2017. It was picked on the ripeness of the Carignan and looked great at 20º Brix with the Cinsault at 16º. Both varieties come off of two rows from a single vineyard on Kangarilla Rd, in McLaren Vale proper. This is as close to a “Vale Floor” as you can get, dense clay soils, very flat vineyard. The vineyard is quite young, so fruit is primary, and fruit driven.

The fruit was picked in mid-March. All of the Carignan is laid into tank as whole-bunches, the Cinsault is destemmed on top. Fermentation kicked off almost immediately and the tank was sealed up. After four days on skins the wine was pressed while still sweet to neutral 500L French tonneau to finish primary fermentation as well as malolactic fermentation. It was aged sur-lie for five months with occasional lees stirring. It was racked to tank and bottled in early September without fining or filtration and just a small addition of sulfur.

Stats

Grapes: 50% Carignan - 50% Cinsault
Vineyard: Single site in McLaren Vale proper
Vine Age: 23-years-old
Soil Type: Brown clay with loamy deposits
Viticulture: Practicing Organic
Fermentation: Native – 100% whole-cluster (Carignan) – 100% destemmed (Cinsault)
Skin Contact: 4 days
Aging: 5 months in seasoned 500L French tonneau
pH: 3.49
Total Acidity: 5.2 g/L
Total SO2: 20 ppm
Total Production: 166 cases

Tasting Note

“Glossy, silky and juicy, fleshy and yet imbued with this crisp, tangy freshness. Rich perfume of plums, salted and fresh, green olive, pepper, with flavours running a similar course, sweetish then finishing with a pleasing build to bitter-ish and clean. So easy to drink. Fun in its personality. So good to drink. Makes you feel nice.” – Mike Bennie

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2018

Carignan-Cinsault

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