Cinsault, known as “Hermitage” in South Africa, is being hailed as the country’s answer to Malbec. Once South Africa’s most planted varietal, it was originally used solely for dry red blends. Naturally, Cinsault grapes are lighter in color. In the 1970s, when people thought the darker the red wine the better, Cinsault grapes were often over-processed to extract every bit of color from the skins, resulting in bitter, tannic juice.
