Narrative
Per Galet (see citation): "Growing tip: feltym wgute wutg rise margin. Young leaves: downy, bullate, reddish-yellow, five lobed. Leaf: medium, orbicular 035-2-58;...lateral sinuses 64....; clear green, soft, contorted, webby tufts below or pubescent depending on the clone; petiolar sinus lyre-shaped more or less closed; teeth pointed, very narryow. Shoot: ribbed, clear green, glabrous, large tendrils. Cane: clear pale beige or pale pink with abundant bloom, dark brown nodes; large buds with white bud down. Cluster: large, cylindrical-conical, compact; berries ellipsoidal, large, blue-black, bloomed; firm skin and pulp. Growth habit: spreading. A productive, moderately vigorous variety, Cinsaut has nearly doubled its acreage in France since 1958 as growers are trying to improve the quality of Medterranean region wines. Cinsaut is considered to add softness and bouqet and blends well with Grenache and Carignane. Budbreak is late and maturity is mid-season. Trials in southern France have shown that production is more regular on vines with high trunks than those with low ones because there seems to be less coulure (poor fruit set). For hillside vineyards where quality and early ripening are desired, it is better to graft on less vigorous rootstocks such as 3309C or 44-53M. On the Berlandieri-rupestris varieties, the vines are too vigorous and the grapes remain red. In other locaitons, Cinsaut may be grafted on 99R, 110R, Rupestris St. George, and SO4. The yield is influenced by the health of the wood also since infectious degeneration (fanleaf virus) can greatly limit production. Cinsaut is sensitive to downy and powdery mildew and botrytis, and it has a tendency to drop its berries at maturity. It is severely affected by yellow spider mitees, and the clusters are very susceptible to the grape berry moth. On the other hand, in Algeria it showed some resistance to very hot, dry conditions."