Mullineux

The beautiful and talented winemaking couple Chris and Andrea Mullineux founded their eponymous winery near the village of Riebeek Kasteel, in the Swartland region in 2007, having previously worked in France, California and other South African wine regions, gaining experience. The couple, who met and fell in love in Swartland in France, were especially attracted by the area's granite and slate soil. For Chris and Andrea, the potential of the area to produce world-class wines from old vines was too great to pass up. As wine connoisseurs, we can only be very grateful for the decision, because the farm's wines have really claimed their place in the glasses of consumers who value quality. The famous Platter's South African Wine Guide has awarded the Mullineux estate 30 times with a five-star rating, Wine Enthusiast chose Andrea as International Winemaker of the Year in 2016, and in the same year Tim Atkin MW crowned the couple with the title of South African Winemakers of the Year. Just recently, Mullineux was selected as the only South African estate in Wine & Spirits Magazine's Top 100 Wineries of 2022 and is also Platter's Winery of the Year 2023. Amazing!

Located 60 kilometers north of Cape Town, the Swartland region consists of the Paardeberg, Kasteelberg and Piketberg hills, which create a unique, if challenging, growing environment for the vines. Most of the farms on the farm are located on the southwest slopes of the Kasteelberg hill in the Roundstone area. Mullineux's Syrah vines grow here, and wine has been produced from them since the establishment of the farm. In 2015, in addition to Syrah, Chenin Blanc, Grenache Noir and Blanc, Cinsault, Clairette, Carignan, Semillon Gris, Roussanne and Maccabeu were planted in the area. Thanks to the deep shale subsoil, the area produces, according to Andrea and Chris, the best wines in the Swartland, with plenty of texture and structure.

In their garden work, the Mullineux's do not use herbicides or insecticides, let alone other synthetic substances. In winter, other vegetation grows between the rows of vines to reduce soil erosion and increase organic material. The fertilizer used in the paddocks is the production of our own compost, which is enriched by the free-living cattle nearby.

In the cellars, we work with a minimal principle, so that the wines made from the grapes reflect their origin as well as possible. Apart from sulfur dioxide, no other additives or auxiliary substances are used in winemaking. The wines are allowed to mature with time, so the macerations are gentle but long, and the proportion of new oak barrels in the French barrel lineup is moderate. The main emphasis in the cellar is on large 500- and 2000-liter barrels instead of traditional barriques. Wines maturing in barrels are disturbed as little as possible, and the wines are not clarified or filtered during bottling.

The farm owns 48 hectares of nurseries, and the couple also works with other farmers in the area. Since 2013, Mullineux has collaborated with Analjit Singh and Peter Dart, resulting in the Leeu Passant wines from the Franschhoek region.

The farm's total annual production is around 300,000 bottles.

https://mlfwines.com/mullineux/