Craven Wines Stellenbosch Cinsaut 2023

Vin Chicago: 91 Points

(5/2026) From 50 year old vines planted in 1976, this Cinsaut from Craven Wines is light, fresh, and chock full of both delicate dried fruits, crushed flowers, and signs of terroir from the sandy soil the vines reside upon. No oak is used in the fermentation process, where Mick Craven opts instead for clay, delivering a very unique and appealing texture onto the palate. Nice acidity keeps everything feeling jovial. Really nice wine, this.

Vinous - Neal Martin : 91 Points

(8/2024) The 2023 Cinsault comes from a parcel in the Rustenhof farm shared with Scions of Sinai. This was destemmed and spent eight to ten days on the skins. It has a pretty nose that’s quite energetic and delineated, expressing white-tipped strawberry, maraschino cherry and just a hint of candy floss. The palate is very well balanced with a Grenache-like flashiness on the mid-palate and fine acidity. Crisp, focused and linear in style, it concludes with a peppery finish. Very fine.