Eight Gates Cinsault 2024 Breedekloof, Western Cape, South Africa 75cl

Eight Gates is a small South African label run by two friends, winemaker Carlo Suter and entrepreneur Kolja Sturmer, who have known each other since their schooldays in Cape Town. Everything is made in minute quantities from hand selected vineyards, and the wines are matured in distinctive oak from a tiny cooperage the pair source from in the Italian Dolomites.

This Cinsault comes from a small parcel of bushvines in Breedekloof, planted in 1997 in the warmer Breede River Valley. Old, low yielding bushvines suit the variety, giving concentration without heaviness. The whole bunches were fermented together in an open top tank for a fortnight, then aged eighteen months in one new and one older barrel. It is a modern, gentle take on a grape long grown at the Cape.

The 2024 season began cool and wet before turning warm, dry and windy through summer, bringing an early, healthy harvest and a year hailed for quality over quantity. Low disease pressure meant clean, ripe fruit, and for a bright, fruit driven style like this the vintage delivered lovely freshness alongside fully ripe flavour.

Pour it and you get black cherry, violets and a hint of fynbos and spice. The palate is juicy and bright, light in body with fresh acidity and a long, dry finish that keeps it food friendly. Serve it with a light chill, which really shows off its fragrance. It is a natural partner for charcuterie, grilled chicken, tomato based pasta or a summer salad.

Christian Eedes at Winemag scored the 2024 Cinsault 93 points, praising its juicy palate, bright acidity and long dry finish. In style it sits close to a light, perfumed red Burgundy or a good cru Beaujolais, all fragrance and drinkability. It is an easy wine to love, equally at home at a relaxed lunch or alongside more serious company at the table.