2025 Van Loggerenberg Lotter Cinsault

The 2025 Lotter is pure Cinsault from Franschhoek, planted in 1932 on granite soils, 100% whole-bunch fermented and matured in 500-litre French oak. It has a sensual red-cherry- and cranberry-scented bouquet that is so delineated and defined. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine tannins, perfectly balanced and very minerally, so it feels almost ferrous towards the finish. What a brilliant Cinsault - you will not find one better than this. Burgundy meets Rhone! 96 points

Yields were more than four times what they were in 2024 at the Lotter vineyard, which is fantastic news for this wine’s many fans. Sourced from iron-rich, granite-based soils in Franschhoek, it’s as `serious as Cinsault gets`, according to Lukas van Loggerenberg, with sinewy, even muscular tannins, flavours of plum, bramble, redcurrant and Negroni spices, 100% whole bunches and a structured, almost intellectual finish. 96 points