It has now been more than a decade since I visited Domaine Anne Gros for the first time to taste her Minervois wines. I liked some of them, but at the time I wasn’t looking for alternatives to Burgundy, so my focus was rather vague when I first met the CinsO, served by the charming Elodie Roy (who now makes lovely wines in Maranges).

Now, 11 years later, I see village Burgundies in French restaurants reaching 100€, 200€ – or even more.

I cannot afford this all the time. But even if I could, I fear that the time to drink Burgundy every other day is coming to an end. It is becoming an extravagance, and this changes my perception. I am no longer getting a small buzz on on my way to bed. Rather, I’m using up my life savings – or whatever crap you think of when you’re trying to be rational.

I want to enjoy, not invest, not plan, not think. I want to drink a good glass in moderation. If we are talking village wine it can easily be 150€, and this must be judged against the work needed to fund it, or other wines I’m planning to taste, perhaps for weeks even.

I don’t want to plan, I want to enjoy.

This is where CinsO enters the picture again, alongside other affordable alternatives.

Cinsaut/Cinsault (Wikipedia)

Cinsaut or Cinsault (/ˈsænsoʊ/ SAN-soh, French: [sɛ̃so]) is a red wine grape whose heat tolerance and productivity make it important in Languedoc-Roussillon and the former French colonies of Algeria, Lebanon, and Morocco. It is often blended with grapes such as Grenache and Carignan to add softness and bouquet.

La CinsO: Anne Gros on her Cinsault

This is the free expression of a Languedoc main – and forgotten – grape variety, planted on sandstone and marl. Our 50-year-old Cinsault talks about finesse, roundness, and charm. It knows how to match discreetly with fish and white meat, as well as roasted red meat.

A delicate wine.

Technical characteristics :

• Soils : sandstone and marl
• Surface area : 1 hectare
• Vines : 50 years old
• Harvest : by hand
• Varietals : Cinsault
• Vinification : Burgundian
• Aging : stainless steel tanks

The Winehog take on Cinsault

Cinsault is not pinot noir, but made with a light hand it can produce a gorgeous vin de soif if you take the following advice: Serve it chilled, as cold as a white wine, and let it develop. Have ice ready if the wine warms up too much. Rule number two: Choose vintages with good acidity if possible. But note: this is a hot-climate wine, so don’t expect miracles (hence the cool serving temperature).

The Anne Gros La CinsO 2022

I am in unknown terroir with the sometimes-very-joyful Cinsault grape. And joyfulness is the key here: the Anne Gros La CinsO 2022 is elegantly vivid, and the 50-year-old vines give it a delicacy and roundness that, served correctly, will give an affordable vin de soif opportunity. It’s not the most complex of grapes, so don’t expect grand cru pinot detail. That’s not the point; this is for joyful drinking, and it serves this purpose well. The Winehog is happy, despite Cinsault being primarily a summer wine.