Mullineux Old Vines White 2015

You'll be hard pushed to find a wine that shows off its roots quite as well as Mullineux White. It's a blend of three different grapes and the Chenin Blanc is from vines up to 80 years old; that's great but not too unusual. But, Chris and Andrea are so dedicated to showing off what Swartland has to offer that they've grown each grape variety in different soil types and only indigenous yeasts are used during fermentation. There's no questioning where this wine comes from. With so much dedication, it's no wonder they're known as one of the best wine producers in South Africa. The final product has a stony, slatey aroma with a zip of limey acidity and a rich, supple mouth-feel. Swartland tastes amazing.

Chris and Andrea Mullinieux created their first vintage in Swartland in 2008. The name of the Mullinieux vineyards is now internationally known and they are acclaimed as one of the top South African wine producers. Chris and Andrea produced vintages all over the world but settled in Swartland, South Africa because they believed that the granite and schist based soils would make up the perfect terroir to create some exceptional wines.

In order to preserve the characteristics of the terroir, the vines are farmed sustainably and only minimal amounts of sulphur are added to the wine during the fermentation process. The aim is to create wines that showcase the distinctive character of Swartland's soils.

There are three grape varieties from three different soils in Mullinieux White; the Chenin Blanc is from old vines up to 80 years old, grown in Shale and Schist based soils, the Clairette Blanc is grown in decomposed granite soils and the Viognier is grown in iron-rich soils. The Viognier is macerated in a tank for four to five days before pressing; the Chenin Blanc and Clairette Blanc are pressed whole-bunch and barrel fermented with indigenous yeasts. The wine stays in the barrels until spring and undergoes malolactic fermentation. Finally, the wine is blended and bottled unfiltered.

The mineral, stony character of the granite and schist soils is prominent on the palate. It has a rich, full mouth-feel with notes of lime and white flowers. The finish is distinctive with hints of mild spice such as cloves. This wine would be great with rich, creamy dishes and would even work nicely with pork.