Kleine Zalze Project Z Cinsault

Description

Kleine Zalze Project Z Cinsault is a South African red wine made from 100% Cinsault. The grapes are sourced from Stellenbosch bush vines planted in 1994. It is part of the third release of Project Z wines.

Kleine Zalze’s Project Z range of wines is a that allows the estate’s winemakers free reign to interact with nature, to search for the ultimate expression from a vineyard and to push the boundaries of creativity and innovation in order to keep growing and evolving. As well as this superb Cinsault, there is also a Project Z Chenin Blanc, Chenin Blanc Skin Contact, Syrah, Grenache and Sweet Fortified wine.

Kleine Zalze is a a South African winery situated in the heart of the Cape Winelands and the history of winemaking there can be traced back as far as 1695. However, the modern history of the estate began when Kobus Basson and his family bought the property in 1996, and there was a large stride forward. In 1996 the estate was scientifically mapped to find the best terroir for different grape varieties and seventeen years of subsequent investment have seen Kleine Zalze become one of the most highly regarded wineries in South Africa. In September 2022 ownership passed to French-owned AdVini, a world-renowned French wine company, thereby beginning a new chapter for Kleine Zalze Wines.

The winery achieved new heights in 2020 by being named Top Performing Winery of the Year by Platter’s South African Wine Guide, which is the South African bible. More recently, Kleine Zalze won four Double Golds and the Best Achiever award at the highly acclaimed Veritas Awards 2022.

The grapes for Kleine Zalze Project Z Cinsaultwere sourced from Stellenbosch bush vines planted in 1994. The vineyard sits atop a hillside on the western side of Stellenbosch. With an unobstructed view of Table Mountain and subjected to maritime airflow off the Atlantic Ocean, the vineyard was selected for its ability to grow grapes offering a superior expression of the site’s unique geography. The soils here are deep, red, clay and iron-rich soils. The grapes were originally harvested for producing a Rosé wine and the pink juice was bled off, Saignee style. The remaining (concentrated) Cinsault skins and juice, were fermented according to Kleine Zalze’s usual red wine-making regime. This resulted in a highly perfumed and structured Cinsault, and upon completion of alcoholic fermentation, it was clear that this wine was unlike any other Cinsault we had ever produced. Thus, one 500L Amphora was filled with the wine and allowed to age separately. After 3 Months aged in
Italian Terracotta amphora, the wine was bottled, and bottle aged for another 15 months before release.

Only 500L of the Kleine Zalze Project Z Cinsault 2021 were produced, and the wine was bottled unfiltered and unfined.