Perdeberg Vineyard Collection Cinsault

Tasting Notes Perdeberg The Vineyard Collection Cinsault 

An elegant, supple and fruity red wine made from 100% Cinsault from Paarl, South Africa. The aroma offers an abundance of red berries, cherries and a hint of candy-like fruit, complemented by subtle spicy notes.

The taste is soft and juicy, with fresh red fruit, a light spiciness and soft tannins. The wine has a relatively light structure and a fresh, invigorating finish. Perdeberg even recommends serving it lightly chilled, which further enhances its fruity character. 

Wine & Food 

Perdeberg Cinsault is a versatile red wine that pairs excellently with grilled pork, duck, chicken, creamy pastas and mushroom dishes. It also works well with pizza and pasta Bolognese.

Additional information

The grapes come from Paarl and are sourced from old bush vines. The current vineyard consists of approximately 36-year-old vines that are not irrigated. The vines are entirely dependent on natural winter rainfall. The soil consists of weathered granite and Malmesbury shale. 

Cinsault is particularly well-suited to warm, dry conditions. The grape is also an important part of South African wine history: Cinsault was formerly known locally as Hermitage and, together with Pinot Noir, formed the basis for the development of Pinotage. 

After harvesting, the grapes are destemmed and carefully sorted. This is followed by a cold maceration of 48 hours to extract colour and aromas from the skins.

The wine then ferments for approximately five days in stainless steel tanks, with regular pump-overs. Subsequently, the wine matures for about 10 months in 500-litre French oak barrels, using second and third-use barrels. This gives the wine some extra spice and structure without the wood overpowering the fresh fruit.

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Awards/Prizes

• 92 points – Winemag.co.za Old Vine Report (2025), vintage 2024
• 89 points – Gilbert & Gaillard International Challenge (2024), vintage 2024
• 90 points – James Suckling (2022), vintage 2020
• Best South African Wine at the Show – Sélections Mondiales des Vins Canada (2022), vintage 2021

Fun fact

Cinsault played an important role in the creation of Pinotage, the famous South African grape. In 1925, Professor Abraham Perold crossed Pinot Noir with Cinsault. At the time, Cinsault was often called Hermitage in South Africa; hence the new cross was initially also referred to as "Hermitage × Pinot."