2015 Mullineux Granite Chenin Blanc
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Tasting notes
From two parcels of old dry-farmed bush vines planted in the decomposed granite soils of the Paardeberg. The vineyards are 39 and 43 years old. Grapes were first chilled then pressed whole bunch and the juice allowed to settle overnight. Minimal SO 2 is added and no further additions are made. The juice is then racked to barrel for ambient-yeast fermentation lasting 4 weeks. Aged on the lees for 12 months in third- and fourth-fill French oak barrels. Complete malolactic conversion. The barrels are racked and blended just before the following vintage and bottled. Natural cork. Tasted blind. Acacia honey and green vegetation. Still youthful and even a little pinched on the end. Grainy end. Still got a long way to go. Slightly duller than the others in this flight. (JR)
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
The 2015 Chenin Blanc Granite has a gorgeous bouquet with citrus fruit, lemon meringue, a touch of frangipani and light chamomile scents, so subtle and utterly captivating. The palate is very well balanced with impressive weight though the acidity keeps this on its toes. Lightly spiced, fresh and saline, this is an outstanding Swartland Chenin. Delicious. Tasted blind at the 10-Year-On horizontal in London.
Intense, sculpted nose. Edgy with honey and richness but finishes absolutely dry with a sucky-stony element – light granite influence? Not cheap though... (JR)
Bright straw-yellow. Smoky, flinty, oyster-shell minerality, menthol, and a touch of reduction dominate the nose, with the fruit in the deep background today. Plump but vibrant and classically dry; a more concentrated, mineral-driven wine than the Kloof Street Chenin Blanc, with a slightly exotic cast to its quince and orange blossom flavors. There's a savory, higher-pH quality here without any sloppiness or loss of focus. Still an infant, this wine should reveal more layers with another year or two in the bottle. Firm, subtle, slowly mounting finish.
About the producer
Chris and Andrea Mullineux were at the forefront of South Africa’s new-wave movement and are now one of the country’s most established names. Alongside the Swartland project that made their name, they make wines in Franschhoek under the Leeu Passant name – a tribute to South Africa’s vinous past.