Sold Out -14%
Riding Monkey

(Gr)apes of Wrath Cinsault 2020

Sale price: $29.95 Regular price:$34.95
Enter your email address below to be notified when this product is back in stock.
Tasting notes

The split fermentation, half carbonic and half open-top with punch-downs, gives this Cinsault both the juicy, lifted fruit of whole-cluster carbonic and a bit more structure and savory depth on the finish. Smoky raspberry, sour cherry, and hibiscus flavors all come through clearly without any oak imprint from the neutral barrels.

BodyFruitTanninAcidity
RaspberrySour CherryHibiscusWhite Pepper
  • Style: Light-bodied chillable red; smoky raspberry and sour cherry; soft tannins; no added sulfites; Alisos Canyon AVA, Santa Barbara County
  • Grapes & Terroir: 100% Cinsault; organically farmed; Nolan Ranch, Alisos Canyon AVA; sandstone and shale soils
  • Winemaking: 50% whole-cluster carbonic (10 days) + 50% open-top with punch-downs; 5 months neutral French oak; no added sulfites
  • Serving: Serve at 55-60F; no decant needed; best within 1-2 years of vintage
  • Pairing: Grilled chicken, pork tenderloin, mushroom pasta, roasted vegetables, mild charcuterie
  • Similar To: For fans of light Gamay, Beaujolais-style reds, or chillable Pinot Noir who want something from California's Central Coast

Riding Monkey's (Gr)apes of Wrath is 100% Cinsault sourced from Nolan Ranch in the Alisos Canyon AVA, Santa Barbara County. The fruit is farmed organically on a property that grows 18 varietals across more than 100 acres. Alisos Canyon was officially established as California's 249th AVA in August 2020, the same harvest year as this wine.

Winemaker and co-founder Dieter Cronje split the fermentation: 50% whole-cluster carbonic maceration for 10 days, and 50% in open-top fermenters with daily punch-downs. Both lots were then aged together for 5 months in neutral French oak. No sulfites were added at any point.

The result is a light-bodied, chillable red with a smoky raspberry nose, bright sour cherry on the palate, and a finish marked by hibiscus and white pepper. Tannins are deliberately soft, keeping the wine lively and food-friendly without grip.

This is a collaboration release between Riding Monkey and Reverse Orangutan. Serve at a slight chill, around 55-60F.

The soft tannins and bright acidity make this a natural alongside grilled chicken thighs, pork tenderloin, or a mushroom-based pasta. It also holds up well with dishes that have some acid or smoke, like grilled vegetables with lemon or a tomato-braised braise. Serve with a slight chill in warmer months.

Wine details

Dry/Sweet:, Dry
Wine Type:, Red Wine
Wine Style:, Light Body
Grapes:, Cinsault
Farming:, Organic
Vintage:, 2020
Alcohol:, Not stated
Country:, USA
Region:, Santa Barbara County
Appellation:, Alisos Canyon AVA
Bottle Size:, 750ml
Sugar Level:, Zero Added Sugar

We will process and ship your order in 2-3 business days, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking as soon as the Carrier scans the shipping label.

Ground shipping time depends on location, here's a breakdown:

West Coast: 1-2 business days
Midwest: 3-4 business days
East Coast: 5 business days

Process time is not shipping time. Shipping time starts from the days successive to the day of shipping, after the order has been processed.

See here our shipping policy.


Important Compliance Requirements

FedEx and other carriers we might occasionally use can only deliver wine to customers who are 21 years or older. Someone must be at the address to receive the package, carriers don't just drop a package and leave. They must ensure the person receiving the wine is 21 or older.


Re-shipping a Package

If a package is returned to us after three failed delivery attempts, we can only re-ship the wine upon payment of a re-shipping fee, to be determined based on the shipping address and number of bottles. Shipping wine is extremely expensive. We are sorry about this, but we have no other choice. Please make sure there's always someone at the address you enter as your shipping address.

If you'd like to receive a refund for a package that was returned to us after FedEx made three delivery attempts, we can do that but we must keep a $20 refund fee; FedEx charges us a lot of money for returns, unfortunately, I can't stress this enough.


Re-routing a Package

If you'd like to reroute a package after it's been shipped, we can do so for a $20 re-routing fee. We cannot re-route a package across state borders. For any change of address, please contact us as soon as possible, ideally within 1-2 days from placing the order or we cannot guarantee we'll be able to reroute or change your order's shipping address.


Canceling an Order

If you'd like to cancel an order after it's been shipped, we can do so upon payment of a small cancellation fee – the amount depends on the size of the order. Carriers charge us a lot of money to recall a package en-route.


Heat/Frost damage

We are not responsible for heat- or frost-related issues. We offer ice-packs upon request. Please let us know if you think that there could be heat-related issues. If we don't hear anything from you regarding weather issues before an order is shipped, or if you don't request a hold due to the weather, we are not responsible for heat/frost damage.


Placed an order. What next?

1. You will receive an order confirmation email with your order summary.*

2. As soon as your order ships from the warehouse, usually within 2-3 business days, this applies to all shipping rates, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with your tracking information. 2DAY shipping refers to shipping time; we still need 2-3 business days to prepare an order. We need to pick and pack, QA, add printed collateral, and palletize the orders.

3. Please track your package using the tracking service.

4. The carrier will attempt delivery a maximum of 3 times. After 3 delivery attempts, your package will be sent back to our warehouse.**

*Please ensure your email address is correct; otherwise, you will not receive the order and shipping confirmation emails.

**If delivery is attempted 3 times without success, or if you fail to retrieve your package from the carrier depot by the stated deadline, the shipping fee will not be refunded to the customer.

Returns Policy

If you are not satisfied with your purchase, please contact us at (424) 414-2040 or via e-mail at hello@primalwine.com between 9 am and 5 pm Pacific Standard Time, Monday through Sunday, we would like to understand and try to solve your concerns. We can offer refunds only as store credit.

Producer profile

Riding Monkey

Riding Monkey Wines is a small-batch, limited-production project based on California's Central Coast, co-founded by winemaker and owner Dieter Cronje and Nick Petrone. Cronje, who is South African-born, handles winemaking while both founders share the same philosophy: that wine is most valuable in the context of the people you share it with.

The project sources fruit primarily from Nolan Ranch in the Alisos Canyon AVA, an organically farmed property with over 100 acres and 18 different varietals planted. Riding Monkey works with the ranch across several varieties, including Cinsault, Alicante Bouschet, and Chenin Blanc.

Cronje favors low-intervention techniques: native or minimally interventionist fermentations, carbonic or semi-carbonic maceration for lighter reds, and aging in neutral French oak to preserve fruit character without adding wood flavor. No sulfites are added to the wines.

Wine region

Santa Barbara County, USA

Alisos Canyon AVA sits in Santa Barbara County, California, between the Santa Maria Valley to the north and the Santa Ynez Valley to the south. It was formally designated as an AVA on August 24, 2020, covering 5,774 acres with approximately 238 acres under vine across nine ranches. The AVA lies roughly 20 miles from the Pacific Ocean, and cooling marine winds and fog travel inland along the San Antonio Creek Valley, producing some of the most significant diurnal temperature swings on California's Central Coast. The mean growing-season temperature falls above Sta. Rita Hills and well below Ballard Canyon, placing it in Winkler Climate Zone 2.

Soils in Alisos Canyon are based on weathered sandstone and shale from the Paso Robles and Sisquoc formations, with a rare limestone streak running along the corridor of the AVA. Sandy topsoils and well-draining subsoils allow vines to be grown on their own roots in parts of the region. The appellation has historically been associated with Rhone varieties like Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvedre, but Nolan Ranch and other growers have expanded plantings to include Gamay, Cinsault, Tempranillo, Albarino, Barbera, and Nebbiolo.

Frequently asked question

We will process and ship your order in 2-3 business days, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking as soon as the Carrier scans the shipping label.

Ground shipping time depends on location, here's a breakdown:

West Coast: 1-2 business days
Midwest: 3-4 business days
East Coast: 5 business days

Process time is not shipping time. Shipping time starts from the days successive to the day of shipping, after the order has been processed.

See here our shipping policy.

Signature on delivery is mandatory for wine deliveries. Please make sure someone is at the shipping address to sign for the package.

If applicable, please consider delivering the package to a business address to ensure someone is available to sign for the package.

We also have the option of delivering the package to a Carrier's store for pickup. Please reach out to us to coordinate.

Carrier will try to delivery a package up to three times before returning the package to us.

See here our shipping policy.

If you miss a delivery and a package gets returned to us we have two options:

1) Reship the package right away: due to the very high cost of shipping and returns, we must charge a re-shipping fee to be determined based on package size and shipping destination.

2) Consolidate the returned package with your next order: this option is free of charge and it's the most popular option.

See here our shipping policy.

This collection features our best selling natural wine from all around the world. It's the best place to start you natural wine journey! Browse one of the largest selections of natural wine available online in the United States.

Primal Wine Natural Wine Club is the best way to discover natural wine. Let us do the heavy-lifting, sit back, and relax. We will send you an ever-changing selection of natural wine made by top producers from around the world.

Our customers love Primal

I'm just copying and pasting from the hundreds messages we received, no pseudo reviews!
Erin C.

We love our membership so far and can't wait until our next shipment.

Jennifer B.

A note to say that we are loving the tasting notes sheet you’re sending!

James S.

I'm really happy to find Primal – your selections are terrific. 

Samuel M.

Love your company, always a great wine selection. 

Chelsea V.

I love what you guys do!

What Is | Primal Wine

What is natural wine?

Natural wine is a type of wine made in small batches from organic or biodynamic grapes with minimal intervention.
What Is Biodynamic Wine Info Cards | Primal Wine

What is Biodynamics?

Biodynamic wine is wine made from grapes farmed biodynamically. Biodynamic farming is a holistic approach.
What Is Organic Wine Info Cards | Primal Wine

What is organic wine?

Organic wine is made with grapes farmed organically. Organic farming is an alternative to conventional farming.
What Is Vegan Wine Info Cards | Primal Wine

What is vegan wine?

Vegan wine is wine made without using animal products during the fining phase of the clarification process.