Mullineux et Lleu - Old Vines White - Blanc 2020
Mullineux & Leeu Family Wines is a family owned winery located near the village of Riebeek Kasteel, in the Swartland region of South Africa. Founders and winemakers Chris and Andrea Mullineux have taken a natural approach to winemaking since the estate was founded in 2007 and work with winemakers who approach farming with sustainable and natural methods. The domain's company name was changed from Mullineux Family Wines in 2013 with a new investment from Analjit Singh, adding “Leeu”, which means “Lion” in Afrikaans. Mullineux wines are vinified with a minimalist approach. Apart from a small amount of sulfur, nothing is added or taken away from their wines. The grapes are fermented with native yeasts and macerated for about four to six weeks before being pressed directly into barrels. All Mullineux wines go through malolactic fermentation and are aged in French oak barrels. When ready, they are bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Mullineux Old Vines White 2020 is a blend of Chenin Blanc (66%), Clairette Blanche (18%), Grenache Blanc (5%), Sémillon (4%), Viognier (4%) et Verdelho (3%) from 67-years-old vineyards sustainably farmed. Each vineyard was carefully hand-harvested to respect the low juice-to-berry ratio inherent to the old vines. Once the cool grapes were oxidatively whole-bunch pressed, the juice was allowed to settle overnight. Indigenous yeast saw the wine through its primary fermentation that lasted up to 9 weeks and any natural malolactic fermentation was allowed to take its course. The wine was left on its lees in barrel until spring. It was then racked after 11 months, left to settle for another 30 days and the final blend was bottled just before the 2021 harvest. This wine was aged for 11 months in third- to fifth-fill French oak 500-litres barrels and one new 2,000-litres foudre.
Grape varieties: 66% Chenin Blanc, 18% Clairette Blanche, 5% Grenache Blanc, 4% Sémillon, 3% Verdelho