2023 Domaine Cazes “Samsó” Cinsault Nature, IGP Côtes Catalanes, Languedoc-Roussillon, France.
Cinsault is riding high at the moment and this ancient varietal is being allowed to itself in its most honest and transparent form in wines from both the old world, as seen here, and in the new world, with many California versions, like Turley’s, from old vines being highly sought after. This 2023 Domaine Cazes “Samsó” 100% natural and organic Cinsault shows off an array of bright and earthy red berry fruit, spice, delicate florals and mineral notes in a medium bodied version of this grape, which is also found in the Rhône Valley and one of the famous Châteauneuf du Pape varietals, with this wine being supple in tannin and nicely fresh on the palate. Coming from chalky limestone and mineral rich clay soils in the Côtes Catalanes area, closer to the Spanish border, this wine with dusty raspberry, plum, tart cherry and fig fruits, along with hints of leather, loam, dried lilacs, minty licorice and snappy herbs is ripe and smooth, making it easy to enjoy and ready to go. Done in a natural and non pretentious way without much in the way of oak, this is a wine that is even better with a slight chill and enjoyed with simple foods and lots of smiling friends.
The Langueduc’s Cazes winery and domaine is located in the heart of Roussillon area, in the South of France, with vines situated throughout the area and all as the winery puts it, within an amphitheater that faces the Mediterranean Sea, surrounded by the Pyrenees mountains, perfect for sun kissed wines. There is a wide range of offerings here at Cazes, from tasty bone dry whites to luscious sweet wines from Banyuls (Grenache) and Rivesaltes (Muscat), as we’ll as well as this lighter framed red made from Cinsault, and even an orange wine. Cazes’ importer Massanois says that since 1895, three generations of winemakers here have been working with the same love of their craft and were pioneers and leaders in the French biodynamic winemaking movement. Maison Cazes focuses on total harmony between grape varieties, climate, fauna and flora, environment, the land, and the men and women working on it, trying to achieve a balance and to find the best expression of their terroirs. Cinsault, also known as Samsó in Spain, with cloudy origins, might be a native of Provence, and usually used in blends with Rosé being a favorite place to add this varietal, that holds acidity even in hot climates, but does a tasty solo job, as seen here.
($17 Est.) 90 Points, grapelive