"Oeillade" Rouge, Mas des Chimères, Coteaux du Salagou - 2020

First up in our Obscure Grape Series: Cinsault! Well, maybe "obscure" is unfair. How about misunderstood? The grape has been losing ground lately, both acreage as well as the estimation of winemakers. It grows maniacally in the dry heat of the Languedoc-Roussillon and when left unchecked produces flat, characterless plonk used mainly as filler for bargain bin vin de pays blends. But in the right hands cinsault renders exquisitely perfumed wines, savory with garigue, lavender, thyme and orange pith. Guilhem Darde’s 100% cinsault is violet colored and cloudy in the glass. He ferments the grapes whole cluster with natural yeasts, then ages in concrete and steel. Try this and witness cinsault’s unique varietal potential. It’s a gorgeous find.