Mullineux Wines, part of Mullineux & Leeu Family Wines, is a highly acclaimed winery established in 2007 by husband-and-wife team Chris and Andrea Mullineux. Located in the Swartland region, the winery is based at their organically farmed home estate, Roundstone, in the Riebeeksrivier-Valley ward.

The Mullineuxs are renowned for their focus on expressing the unique terroir of the Swartland, particularly through Syrah and Chenin Blanc. Their winemaking philosophy emphasizes sustainable farming practices and a minimalist approach in the cellar, utilizing indigenous yeasts and minimal intervention to produce authentic, site-expressive wines.

Mullineux has garnered significant international recognition, including being awarded Platter’s South African Winery of the Year an unprecedented five times (2014, 2016, 2019, 2020, and 2023). Andrea Mullineux was also named Wine Enthusiast’s International Winemaker of the Year in 2016. Their portfolio includes the “Signature” range (Old Vines White, Syrah, and Straw Wine), “Single Terroir” wines (Granite, Schist, and Iron Syrahs and Chenin Blancs), and the more accessible “Kloof Street” range.

Variety: 100% Syrah

Vineyard details:
These very special and characterful grapes grown on the schisty slopes of Kasteelberg or “Castle Mountain”, showcase our estate, Roundstone and its tremendous ability to define Syrah grown on SCHIST soils. These rocky soils limit vine size and so the clusters and individual grapes in turn remain smaller with a higher skin to juice ratio, offering denser, more brooding tannins.

Dates Harvested:
The grapes were hand-harvested between 14th and 15th February 2022 with a yield of 4.3 tons/ha, which translated to 26HL/ha.

Winemaking:
Safeguarded from the high-summer Swartland sun in February, the SCHIST Syrah was picked during the cool morning air and the 100% whole bunches were immediately foot-crushed into 500L barrels. Only natural microbes took the wine through its fermentations and only hand plunging were performed for completely gentle extraction – just enough to keep the cap wet. After four weeks it was racked and pressed back to the same open top barrels. This completed the tannin development and allowed its dark perfume to flourish.

Maturation:
The SCHIST Syrah spent 12 months in 50% new and 50% 4th fill 500L French oak barrels and then another 10 months in 2000L Foudre before being bottled unfiltered.

Bottling Date: 6 November 2023
Production: 6 030 bottles / 502 cases
Wine of Origin: Swartland

Technical Details at Bottling:
Alcohol 14.0 % – RS 1.8 g/l – TA 5.2 g/l – pH 3.80

The adapted natural resilience of the dry land SCHIST Syrah on Roundstone, has resulted in this wine showing pure freshness and superb concentration. The aromas show beautiful hints of Bergamot orange, fragrant dark African violets and nutmeg and the palate is lead by well-structured and harmonious Shist-derived firm tannins . This vintage has phenomenal ageing potential and would be best served
at 16 to 18 °C. Decanting is recommended when the wine is opened in its youth.

Tim Atkin– 97 points