The Cenosilicaphobic Cat Sagrantino Cinsault
⏳ Drinking Window
2022 - 2028
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted lamb shoulder, wild mushroom ragu, slow-cooked game stews
✨ Technical Specifications
Named after the fear of an empty glass (cenosilicaphobia), 'The Cenosilicaphobic Cat' is a wonderfully eccentric blend of Sagrantino and Cinsault from d'Arenberg's estate in McLaren Vale. This wine brings together two vastly different grape varieties: the deeply colored, highly tannic Sagrantino of Umbrian origin, and the lighter, perfumed, and bright Cinsault of the Southern Rhône. True to d'Arenberg's traditionalist philosophy, the grapes are gently foot-trodden and basket-pressed before undergoing fermentation in open-top fermenters. The wine is then aged in seasoned French oak barriques to soften the intense, rustic tannins of the Sagrantino while preserving the vibrant, spicy red fruit character of the Cinsault. The result is a deeply complex, savory red with a backbone of firm, dusty tannins and a playful, aromatic lift.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1912 by Joseph Osborn, d'Arenberg stands as an iconic pillar of McLaren Vale viticulture, stewarded today by fourth-generation chief winemaker Chester Osborn. The estate spans undulating coastal landscapes influenced by the moderating maritime winds of the Gulf St Vincent, resting upon complex, ancient geologies ranging from calcareous Terra Rossa to sandy loam and weathered limestone. Viticulture is rigorous and certified organic and biodynamic across all estate-owned and leased vineyards. While renowned for formidable Rhone-style reds, d'Arenberg's white winemaking upholds identical artisanal rigor: gentle whole-bunch basket pressing ensures minimal phenolics and purity of expression. From the racy, textural The Money Spider Roussanne and crisp The Dry Dam Riesling to the lusciously layered botrytised expressions The Noble Semillon and The Noble Botryotinia Fuckeliana, the wines epitomize balance, crystalline minerality, and vibrant natural acidity.
🍇 Grapes
Sagrantino, Cinsault
🍷 ABV
14% - 14.5%