Mullineux

Mullineux Family Wines was established in 2007, and was owned and managed by Chris and Andrea Mullineux, with business partners, Keith Prothero and Peter Dart. Within a very short time period the winery established itself as one of South Africa’s most celebrated wine brands, both locally and on the international front. By 2016 they had received seventeen 5 star ratings from Platter’s South African Wine Guide, as well as being awarded Red Wine of the Year in 2013 and 2016,  and Winery of the Year in 2014 and 2016.

Analjit Singh’s love affair with South Africa started when he first visited the country with his daughter for the Soccer World Cup in 2010. On visiting the Franschhoek valley he felt “a deep sense of belonging, of energy, a sense of place” and subsequently purchased 3 adjacent farms which have been amalgamated within his Franschhoek hospitality portfolio Leeu Collection under the name Leeu Estates. The Afrikaans word leeu (meaning lion) is the Sanskrit derivation of Singh. In 2013 Analjit joined forces with Chris and Andrea by purchasing Keith’s shares and the company was renamed Mullineux & Leeu Family Wines.

Three main soil types have evolved in the Swartland from the parent materials that dominate the area, these are shale/schist-, granite- and iron-based soils; each with very different characteristics and therefore creating unique growing conditions. Wines produced from schist-based soils tend to have blue fruit and earthy character. They are well structured with good acidity, and form the backbone of any blend. Granite soils consist of a sandy topsoil that is extremely well drained, but the thick, dense layer of clay (which often lies meters below the surface) acts as a slow release sponge for the vines deeper roots over the summer. Wines from granite soils tend to be exceptionally pure with a granitic perfume and nervy acidity.

Vines grown in gravel & iron based soils struggle to grow, as there is never excess water about (resulting in extremely low yields) but they are protected from serious stress by the soil’s water retention capacity. This helps the vines towards the end of summer, when it is very dry in the Swartland, allowing them time to build complexity and tannin in the grapes. Wines produced from these soils tend to be deep in colour and are very concentrated. They easily show reduction, while being structured and grippy on the palate. They bring loads of mid-palate to any blend.

Our absolute focus is on bottling wines that are a true expression of the Swartland. To achieve this we follow a winemaking approach that is as natural as possible.We do not add any yeasts, acids, enzymes or other chemicals that may hide or disguise the character of our vineyards. Grapes from the Swartland give a lot in the way of natural extract and character, and to maintain elegance, we make sure not to go crazy on extraction. On average this means one or two gentle pigeages per day through fermentation, and a longish 4 to 6 week total maceration which helps to focus and round off tannins.

Wines are pressed directly to barrel for malolactic fermentation and maturation. Though all our wines are aged in French oak barrels, we adjust the amount of new wood so that it does not interfere with the personality of the vineyard. We are also tending to use larger barrels (called demi-muids) of 500 Litres, and 2000 Litre Foudre. The wines are racked as infrequently as possible, and are bottled when ready, unfiltered and generally unfined, with moderate sulphur levels.