Planted in 1885, this Cinsault vineyard is certainly the oldest of its kind in the United States, and perhaps even the oldest Cinsault in the world! A light-bodied red grape, Cinsault (pronounced SAHN-so) is usually found in the south of France as a component of Châteauneuf- du-Pape in the Rhône Valley, or consumed as rosé in Provence. The Bechthold Vineyard vines are gnarly, head-trained, and dry-farmed in deep, sandy soils. They’re also ungrafted, meaning they remain on their original vitis vinifera roots that were first planted 136 years ago, a phenomenon nearly impossible to replicate today. The wine is light- bodied with fresh, high acidity, almost akin to a Gamay or a very light Pinot Noir. It’s fermented using only natural yeasts and aged in 100% used French oak.
