Wide vineyards in front of a grey rock face under white clouds

Grape variety · Red

Cinsault

Old labels say Hermitage. The grape behind the name is Cinsaut, which filled the Cape's vineyards after phylloxera and later had to make way.

A glass of pale rosé on the stoep, the bottle beaded with condensation. The back label says Cinsaut, without the l: that is South Africa's official spelling. After phylloxera, Cinsaut was planted on a massive scale and was for a long time the country's most planted red grape. Then growers replaced it with varieties WOSA calls nobler. WOSA lists its uses as rosé, port-style wines and Jerepigo, blends with Cabernet Sauvignon, and base wine for brandy.

of South Africa's vineyards, SAWIS, as of 31 December 2025
1.9%
of Cinsaut nationwide
1,614 ha
in the Paarl statistical region, more than anywhere else
564 ha
crossed with Pinot Noir to create Pinotage
1925

One chapter of Cape wine history hangs on it. In 1925 Abraham Izak Perold in Stellenbosch crossed Cinsaut, still known as Hermitage, with Pinot Noir, and the result was Pinotage. SAWIS counts 1,614 hectares today, 1.9 per cent of the vineyard area, as of the end of 2025. The Paarl statistical region with Franschhoek and Wellington has more than any other, 564 hectares. Breedekloof follows closely with 497, the Swartland has 261.

Our tipLook for the South African spelling Cinsaut on the label. According to WOSA the grape also turns up in rosés and in red blends with Cabernet Sauvignon.

Cinsault to order

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Cinsault: frequently asked questions

How is Cinsault spelled in South Africa?

The official South African spelling is Cinsaut, without the l. At the Cape the grape used to be called Hermitage.

What does Cinsaut have to do with Pinotage?

Cinsaut is one of the two parents of Pinotage. Abraham Izak Perold crossed Pinot Noir with Cinsaut, then still called Hermitage, in Stellenbosch in 1925.

Where does South Africa grow the most Cinsaut?

South Africa's largest Cinsaut plantings are in the Paarl statistical region with Franschhoek and Wellington, 564 hectares. Breedekloof follows with 497 and the Swartland with 261 hectares (SAWIS, as of 31 December 2025).