Gustavo Martinez 'Rawull' Cinsault

Cinsault from one vineyard of vines over twenty five years old, on granite in Chile's Itata. Dark berry and stone fruit with an earthy edge, medium weight, bright acid and soft tannin. Around 1,450 bottles made, unfined and unfiltered.

The Cinsault grows on granitic soil at Surur, inside the Valle del Itata appellation. The vines are more than twenty five years old and farmed dry, with no irrigation. Gustavo Martínez pushes the growers he buys from to drop chemicals as well.

Picking is by hand. The bunches are destemmed and ferment on wild yeast for two weeks before pressing. Ageing is split between stainless steel and used French oak, so the wood sits in the background. The wine goes into bottle unfined and unfiltered with a very small sulfur addition.

Roughly 1,450 bottles are made. Martínez works the old Itata way the locals call pipeño, destemming over a zaranda and letting each ferment run on its own. Serve it at cellar temperature or a touch below, with pizza, pasta or Middle Eastern food.