Cinsault
Also known as Cinsaut
Languedoc / Southern Rhône, France
A heat-tolerant Southern French red variety traditionally used for soft, fruity blends and rosé, later famous as one parent of South Africa's signature grape, Pinotage.
Sensory profile
Characteristics
Flavor & aroma
At a glance
Production facts
Prevalence
Niche
Climate
Warm climate
Ripening
Mid season
Wine styles
Still
Where it's grown
Geography
Shaded areas are the state, province or département(s) containing each region, so they run wider than the appellations themselves.
France
Languedoc-Roussillon
Traditionally blended for soft, fruity reds and rosé; a heat-tolerant workhorse variety.
South Africa
Background
Origin & History
An ancient variety of Southern France, Cinsault has long been prized in Languedoc-Roussillon and Provence less for prestige than for reliability — it tolerates heat and drought well and yields generously, making it a mainstay of everyday blended reds and pale, dry rosé. French colonial winemakers carried it to North Africa, and it reached the Cape in the 19th century, where it became known locally as "Hermitage."
In 1925, South African viticulturist Abraham Izak Perold deliberately crossed Cinsault with Pinot Noir at Stellenbosch University, hoping to combine Pinot's quality with Cinsault's hardiness; the result, Pinotage, became South Africa's signature grape. In recent years Cinsault has also enjoyed a quiet revival among natural and low-intervention winemakers drawn to its soft, juicy, low-tannin character.
Lineage
Family tree
Parentage not recorded — Cinsault is an old variety of unknown origin. Click a related grape to explore its own lineage.