Retirement at 65

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In the 2024 vintage there is a blend of 95% of the oldest Cinsault vineyards in Darling, planted in 1951 – with 5% Shiraz from neighbouring vineyards.

In 2014, Pieter visited a grumpy Darling farmer—and soon understood why. A tiny old Cinsault vineyard, planted in 1951, had never produced a decent crop. Birds ate the berries, they rotted, and one year the grapes even ended up eaten by wild boar.

Intrigued, Pieter convinced the farmer to give the vineyard one last shot. He agreed to do things a little differently and Pieter bought bird nets. Things finally looked promising… until the farmer’s sheep broke through the fence and munched every green shoot. Another year gone.

Still, they persisted. In 2016—after 65 years—the vineyard finally survived long enough to ripen a small but beautiful crop. Pieter harvested, fermented naturally, aged the wine in old oak for eight months, blended, and bottled a triumph decades in the making.

Retirement @65 – now there’s a thought – is a Darling blend of Cinsault and 5% Syrah. Fermented with 60% whole bunches and aged in old wood, it’s kind of light red that Pieter Walser does so well, with Turkish Delight and ginger spice aromas and succulent strawberry, goji berry and raspberry coulis flavours. Tim Atkin – South Africa Report 2025 – 95 points