Winemakers Night - Weingut Cellar Acustic - 16. März 2018

Winery Mullineux

In the year 2007, after having spent a few years abroad in different wineries in California and in France, Chris and Andrea Mullineux returned to South Africa. They then stepped forward to make their Idea of creating their own wine. They looked for the perfect spot in order to produce wine and found the right place in Swartland. Swartland, which has its name from the strong occurrence of the rhinos bush – known to dye the land black after the raining season – was not well known as a winegrowing area. The region Swartland offers ideal requirements for terroir wines of first quality.

In consideration of the Vineyard Mullineux it is easily seen how much the viniculture has changed in the last ten years. Feeling lucky to have found the vineyard with the help of good partners and friends, was a blessing. Back then many of the Steen-vineyards were lumbered – no wonder, because back then Steen (how the Chenin Blanc is named in South Africa), was a big help in manufacturing industrial alcohol and brandy.

Thanks to families like Chris and Andrea Mullineux, that we as consumers are able to enjoy the yield of these wines. The Mullineux have assigned their varietal pure Chemins and Syrah´s to the floors on which these vines grow. The granite of the Paardebergs is assorted to one of the eldest soil formations around the globe. Furthermore to that comes slate and ferrous soils along the Riebeek-Kasteel-Mountain.

Also interesting to know is that the vineyards are not watered, the most is fermented spontaneously and no acids or enzymes are added. As time went by, the wines became more elegant, also because they are expanded in large wooden containers. In 2014 and 2016 “Platter´s”- the most important wine guides chose the Mullineux winery as one of the best winery´s in South Africa.

The viniculture on the Western Cape now exist since over 350 years. Here the slate dominates and results in a straight line from Cape Agulhas (in the northwest) to Cape Columbine on which granite hills extend. Maybe it is also the climate that makes the vines so special. The vines profit from the hot summers in the afternoon and in the evenings, they profit from the cold air, which is produced by the Antarctic Ocean current.