By May, the table begins to change almost instinctively. Lunches stretch a little longer into the afternoon. Dinner feels less hurried. The first real chill arrives just after sunset and suddenly the wines poured in February feel slightly out of place.
Not wrong. Simply early.
This is the moment where texture begins to matter again. Where freshness alone is no longer enough. And few grapes move through this seasonal shift with more grace than Chenin Blanc and Cinsaut.
Discover the Old Bush Vines Range by Darling Cellars.
Darling Cellars Old Bush Vines Chenin Blanc 2023
Old vines have a way of bringing calmness to a wine. The fruit is there, certainly. Yellow peach, ripe pear, orange skin and a touch of pineapple. But what stays with you is the shape of it. The breadth across the palate. The way the acidity threads quietly through the wine, holding everything together without ever disturbing its ease.
There is richness here, but also precision.
It is a Chenin Blanc made for the table.
Not merely as an aperitif, but as part of the evening itself. Roast chicken with crisp skin. A mushroom tart still warm from the oven. Good conversation drifting comfortably between glasses while the night settles outside.
Darling Cellars Old Bush Vines Cinsaut 2021
Cinsaut is often at its best in autumn. Summer can make it seem too delicate. Winter can overshadow its charm. But now, in this exact moment, it finds perfect balance.
There is brightness to the fruit. Sour cherry, red cherry, a touch of candy floss on the nose, even. Yet beneath that freshness sits something gently earthy and deeply comforting, finished with white pepper and a freshness that keeps the wine alive from beginning to end.
The tannins are soft. The wine feels open from the first pour.This is not a red wine for grand statements.
It is a wine for returning to.
The sort of bottle that disappears slowly over the course of an evening while nobody notices the level dropping until the final glass is poured.
Together, these wines capture the rhythm of May beautifully.
The Darling Cellars Old Bush Vines Chenin Blanc 2023 still carries the last warmth of summer light.
The Darling Cellars Old Bush Vines Cinsaut 2021 quietly welcomes the slower pace of winter evenings ahead.
Neither asks for attention. Both reward it.
Shop both wines online and let the season settle in properly. Open them slowly. They were made for evenings exactly like these.
And, because winter is officially moving in, we're launching our Winter Warmer Online Wine Sale. Get 15-20% off selected favourites – including the Darling Cellars Old Bush Vines Chenin Blanc and Cinsaut.
Click HERE to shop the Old Bush Vines Range.