When I first visited the Swartland in 2004, Eben Sadie was just starting to make his mark with Columella, a Syrah/Mourvedre blend first made in 2000 and Palladius, a Chenin Blanc/Rhone blend. Returning earlier this month, things have changed and how.
Once known as the Cape’s bread basket, Swartland has become its seed bed of experimentation and innovation. Rhone varieties have proved their mettle here as nowhere else in South Africa (for whites, with the all-important addition of old vine Chenin Blanc, usually the dominant partner in blends and also very good solo). Low intervention/natural winemaking is de rigueur. Rigorous site selection together with earlier picking is putting meat on the bones of terroir.
In short, its winemakers and/or wines have become funky. As much was clear from the Swartland Revolution, a sell out hip and happening weekend long celebration of the region’s upswing which I was lucky enough to attend (see more photos here). It was organised by four of its key players - Sadie, of course, Adi Badenhorst, Chris and Andrea Mullineux (pictured, top) and Caillie Louw, the somewhat reluctant poster boy for Vinimark’s Porcelain Mountain label, whose first release is most eagerly anticipated. I’m told he’s much happier riding his tractor!
And riding high on the back of a well deserved hat trick of five star awards in the 2012 edition of the Platter Guide, husband and wife team the Mullineuxs presented their wines at a tasting. Including component parts of their blends, it provided a fascinating insight into their craft.
Their maiden single vineyard Syrahs were among the most exciting wines of my trip so, as in 2004, I left the Swartland excited by the prospect of what’s yet to come. Given what Sadie has achieved in just 10 years (see my report of a Columella vertical here), I very much doubt I’ll be disappointed.
Leading South African wine writer Tim James was charged with opening the tasting and his introduction, an extract of which you can read here, brilliantly captures the spirit of adventure of both people and place.
Next, while pointing out “we’re not dogmatic,” Andrea Mullineux outlined the couple’s core philosophy. It’s about the right vines on the right soils, healthy vines and ensuring that the wines are as natural as they can be from vine through to bottle. For her, this means “we don’t like to intervene…we’re very gentle custodians of the wine, guiding it through its life without stamping on it and telling it what it wants to be.”
That said, the couple do intervene insofar as they typically blend across vineyards because, they say, with the short growing season, it’s important for balance, harmony and complexity. But as Chris Mullineux winningly argued, “a blend lets the vineyard be itself…we blend rather than keeping it [vineyard parcels] separate and molding them into something different.”
On which note, referring to the two new single vineyard wines, Chris Mullineux said “finally we’ve found two vineyards that can stand on their own.” Adding it’s taken 8 years to get there, he explains “it’s been a struggle to get enough mid-palate.” He and Andrea are plainly thrilled that both the granite and schist sites in question not only provide good mid-palate but also retain freshness in the wines.
Speaking of freshness, according to Chris, old vines “get fantastic [low] pHs” which brings with it “a perceived freshness.” For younger vines (like Syrah, for example) freshness can also be attained by picking earlier. Chris is quick to point out “we’re not just picking early because we want to pick early…it’s about the site having reached optimum ripeness [though he adds it’s important to extract more gently to avoid bitter green tannins].” And, admitting that it’s also about having greater faith in picking on taste, Mullineux says that, while he always thought he picked on taste, he came to realise that he also routinely checked the numbers. Since he stopped the belt and braces (taste and number check), Mullineux says alcohol levels have dropped down a notch.
And onto the wines. Here are my notes:
Mullineux Schist Chenin Blanc 2011 (blend component)
Twenty-five year old vines are early picked for this, the blend’s “backbone/nerve.” A perfumed nose shows pear skin and quince which follow through in the mouth on a textured palate with crisp acidity, together with ripe lemon zest, warm and spicy fresh ginger and white flowers.
Mullineux Granite Chenin Blanc 2011 (blend component)
Thirty year old vines planted on the Paadeberg grow in decomposed, very sandy granite soils which look so poor that, Chris Mullineux admitted, “you almost feel disbelief that vines can grow.” But, he says, the secret of life rests in a layer of subsoil comprising moisture retentive clay. He explains it means that “vines are rarely stressed because they can access water and they keep their acidity too.” The wine feels rich yet fluid, with quince and a suggestion of more expansive apricot. It retains lovely freshness though and sports a lively edge of aniseed to its long, tapering finish.
Mullineux Viognier 2011 (blend component)
A variety which, we’ve all heard it before, can easily put on too much weight and overdo it on the perfume front too. This wine is most definitely mid-palate fodder with its plusher apricot and vanilla poached pear palate.
Mullineux Clairette 2011 (blend component)
This relatively obscure grape’s trump card is the fact that it naturally ripens at low alcohol (around 11.5% abv). So it handily balances out the Viognier and, for me, its marshmallow sweetness on nose and relatively neutral palate combined with its waxy texture forms the perfect bridge between the Chenin and Viognier.
Mullineux White Blend 2010
This finished wine, one of the Platter 5 star winners, shows honey and apricots on the nose, which follow through on the palate. Cooler, lightly spiced poached pear notes build towards a mineral, bath salts sprinkled finish and, with the apricot, flesh out the Chenin’s citric backbone – the key to this wine’s line and length. Lovely.
Mullineux Syrah 2009
This wine, a Platter 5 star, is the product of several vineyards and 3 soil types. Each vineyard ripens at different levels of potential alcohol and, in contrast with the whites, each soil type is vinified separately. For Chris, the schist soils produce a “masculine” style to the granite’s more perfumed “feminine” style. An element of whole bunch fermentation adds texture, peppery lift, fragrance and freshness. Beneath, there’s a firm chassis of tannin, a touch chewy even, so there’s a density/anchor for the sweet fruit. Promising if youthful. Needs time.
Mullineux Syrah Granite 2010
A delectably spicy, perfumed nose reveals smoke (with time in glass smoky bacon/charcuterie) and black pepper. In the mouth, there’s great intensity to the spice which threads its way through an elegant seam of bright red berry fruits, ever so gently buffed by fine grained tannins. Just lovely – so elegant. Would have liked more time to linger over it (and the Schist Syrah) to see how these very young wines develop.
Mullineux Syrah Schist 2010
This wine is made in exactly the same way as the Granite Syrah – the soils alone account for their difference. A darker, earthier nose is more animal and savoury with bay leaf and lurking oak (smoky bacon). In the mouth, it’s firmer in tannin with darker, denser layers of fruit and good length and intensity. Not as charming as the Granite, but every bit its equal. Will need more time – a couple of years plus – to unfurl. I hope to taste it again then!
Mullineux Straw Wine 2010
The Chenin grapes for this extraordinary wine (another Platter 5 star) are picked at the same time as those for the dry table wines. Fruit for the sweetie comes exclusively from the two vineyards which produce the freshest wines. After harvesting, it’s dried on straw mats to concentrate the its ripe citrus/kumquat flavours. It’s unctuously creamy without being oily and yet somehow retains line. Though toothsome, with its fresh, textured pithily pinned down finish, you’d be hard pressed to guess it has 351g/l of residual sugar.
