What a find this Kaapzicht Cinsault is!
My husband has been picking up some fun, different wines for us to enjoy. He found this one at Swirl in New Orleans. We have a little bit of a wine buying addiction. Sure, we have tons of wine to drink, but when we see something different, we pick it up. Kaapzicht Cinsault was recommended to him and I’m so glad he bought it.
Kaapzicht, owned by the Steytler family, has been farming in South Africa since 1946. The name, Kaapzicht, means Cape View, which can be seen from the hills of Kaapzicht estate over the Table Mountain. Table Mountain is known to have some of the oldest soils in the world, mostly consisting of weathered granite. The estate is located in the Bottelary Hills within Stellenbosch. All the wines made by Kaapzicht are estate grown and produced, except for the port. When the family is involved is all aspects of wine production, the level of quality reflects the dedication.
Skuinsberg translates to steep hill, which the Steytler family says has claimed many tractors over the years! The cinsault is planted on the steep hill with poor granite soils, yielding low fruit, smaller berries, and intense flavor.
Aged in 500 L French oak casks.
In the glass, this wine has a beautiful garnet color of medium intensity.
Kaapzicht Skuinsberg Bush Vine Cinsault wafts plenty of dusty cocoa, bramble, earthiness, and sun-dried cherries and strawberries.
Upon tasting, the Cinsault is soft, yet acidic with an intriguing dollop of umami, leaving your mouth watering for more.
Perfect with food, the Kaapzicht Cinsault will definitely pair with mushroom risotto and earthy dishes, but it was surprising accompaniment with a salad with olives and a zippy vinaigrette!
How to make the Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
I love making big salads that are separated into their individual components for dramatic visual effect. This Mediterranean Quinoa Salad fits the bill. When your guests (or even you!) see each individual ingredient of the salad, you cannot WAIT to dig in! Of course, toss it before serving, or at the very least, make sure each guest gets every ingredient!
- Quinoa – prepared according to package directions
- Hummus – either store bought or homemade
- 1 English cucumber, sliced
- Roasted Chickpeas (optional)
- 1/3 cup Kalamata Olives
- 1/2 red onion, sliced
- 1/2 cup roasted red peppers, sliced
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup feta cheese, cubed or crumbled or chunked
- 8 pepperoncini peppers
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Vinaigrette
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Place chopped garlic on a cutting board and sprinkle with salt. With the side of your knife blade, rub the salt into the garlic, forming a paste. Add to small jar. Next add olive oil and apple cider vinegar. Shake to blend.
Roasted Chickpeas
- 1 can chickpeas
Drain the can of chickpeas. Rub inside a dry towel until chickpeas are fully dried. Toss with salt, pepper, & olive oil. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees for 25 minutes until golden and crispy.
Salad Assembly
Prepare the quinoa according to package directions. The quinoa I used (365 Whole Foods) called for 1 cup dried quinoa to 2 cups water to yield 3 cups cooked quinoa. This amount is PLENTY! Let cool then pour into a large bowl.
Pile each ingredient in small sections atop the quinoa. Keep in mind color as you assemble. Try not to put like colored ingredients next to each other.
Pour the dressing over the salad. I prefer not to toss the salad.. Make sure each bowl has some of every ingredient!
