Mullineux Swartland Syrah 2011

Mullineux Syrah 2011 is made from 100 percent Syrah

Reviews:

"This red has guts and intensity, showing a lively briary edge that pushes the mouthfilling flavors of boysenberry compote, blackberry coulis and plum cake. Singed anise and apple wood notes drive the finish, where some serious grip slides in. Best from 2014 through 2018. 1,375 cases made. –JM"
- Wine Spectator (October 15th 2013), 91pts

The 2011 Syrah includes 20% whole bunch fruit and sees two to four weeks skin contact, before maturation in foudres for 11 months, 20% new. It has a vivacious, pretty, feminine bouquet with kirsch, dark cherry and a tang of marmalade, later a hint of peppermint developing in the glass. The palate is well-balanced with a fresh, quite fleshy entry. It is well-balanced, very supple in the mouth with a gradual build toward a sensual, subtly spiced finish that glides across the mouth. This is just lovely and so easy to drink. Drink now-2017. Wine Advocate #209 Oct 2013 92 Points

The 2010 Syrah boasts a rich and meaty nose, albeit somewhat closed.  It is sourced from six different vineyards and vinified separately using 20% whole clusters.  Aged in 10% new oak for a year, it reveals rich blackberry fruit, spice, earth and black olive on a velvet-like palate.  It is beautifully balanced with round firm tannins, good acidity and a fine finish. It is ready to drink now but will improve with age. Alc. 14%.  Grapes for the Syrah come from six different parcels.  Matured 11 months in French oak barrels of different sizes, about 15% new.-International Wine Review 92+ Points

From Mullineux:

Our aim with our Syrah is to give true and complete expression to the Shale, Schist and Granite terroirs in which the vines grow.

Tasting note:

This perfumed Syrah has notes of black pepper, refined black fruit, smoke and herbs. The palate is full bodied and spicy, with a silky texture and a balanced natural acidity. The long finish is fresh and surprisingly long and supple. Best served at 16 to 18 C, this wine will greatly benefit from decanting if drunk within the first 3 to 5 years after bottling.

Source of Grapes: Grapes for our 2010 Syrah were sourced from six vineyard parcels in different parts of the Swartland: Three parcels planted in the stony Shale and Schist based soils of Riebeek Kasteel Mountain; two parcels of dry land, bushvines grown in the decomposed Granite of the Paardeberg mountain; and one on the rolling, iron-rich soils west of Malmesbury. Vines are aged between 15 and 22 years. We lease each parcel on a long term basis, and have close and direct involvement in their viticultural management.

 

Winemaking: Hand picked grapes are cooled in our cold room, where after they are crushed and destemmed to tank, and between 20 to 50% whole bunches are added. 25ppm SO2 is added, and as with all our wines, no other additions are made. The must is initially pigeaged once a day. After about 4 days, fermentation begins with indigenous yeasts, and the wine is pigeaged once or twice a day, depending on extract and tannin development. Temperatures are not allowed to exceed 30 degrees centigrade. Fermentation lasts from 7 to 10 days, and after fermentation, two to four weeks (also depending on tannin development) skin contact is given. The wine is then drained and pressed to barrel for malolactic fermentation and maturation. The different parcels are racked in Spring to blend the wine, which is then returned to barrel and bottled unfiltered and unfined after 11 months in barrel. Please decant (or give time!) when drunk young.

Maturation: 11 months, French oak 225L & 500L barrels, and 2000L Foudre. 15% new wood in total.

The Mullineux Family Winery Estate
This is a small, highly focused family winery producing a select family of hand-crafted wines from the granite and shale based terroirs of the Swartland Region of South Africa.

Chris was born in Cape Town, raised in Johannesburg, and introduced to the world of wine while studying accountancy at the University of Stellenbosch. After braving his way through accounting, he enrolled into winemaking for a second degree, and on graduating took a position starting up a boutique organic winery in Tulbagh, where he was in charge of the vineyards and cellar for 5 very enjoyable years. In addition to stints at de Trafford and Rustenberg wineries in South Africa, Chris has also worked harvests at top wineries in Cote Rotie, Bandol, the Languedoc, Roussillon, and California. Over the years Chris has had good exposure to the people, vineyards and wines of the Swartland. This has lead to a growing love for, and firm belief in the region, and he looks forward to many creative and hard working vintages in this region with his family.
Andrea developed her passion for wine at the family dinner table, growing up in San Francisco. After studying Viticulture and Oenology at UC Davis and completing a handful of harvests in the Napa Valley, Andrea decided to broaden her winemaking knowledge overseas. After a harvest in Stellenbosch, she went on to work in Chateauneuf and, on the same trip, met Chris at a wine festival in Champagne! Andrea's love for South African wine (and Chris) brought her back to South Africa where they learnt that their compatibility extended into the vineyards and cellar. When Andrea is not hard at work in the cellar, her creative energies flow into the kitchen where she loves cooking up a storm, glass of wine in hand.

The Mullineux Family Winery Vineyards
Very low summer rainfall coupled with afternoon and evening breezes off the Atlantic Ocean result in low disease pressure. Vineyards are often planted in amongst the natural rhenoster veldt and fynbos, which provide refuge for predators of vineyard pests, and help reduce the spread of disease. Weeds struggle to establish themselves and spread, making it easier to control them without the need of herbicides.
Chris and Andrea have put together a group vineyards in the most interesting parts of the Swartland, which are mostly found around the shale and schist based Riebeek Kasteel Mountain, and the granite based Paardeberg mountain.
Lammershoek - The deep white, granitic soils on Lammershoek produce wines that are exceptionally pure, with a granitic perfume that shines through in red and white varieties.
Kasteelsig - The soils, found on the rolling hills north of Malmesbury, are a deep combination of red gravel and iron, and produce dark, concentrated wines that are the flesh of our blends.
Kloovenburg - The highly varied row directions and aspects bring much complexity to wines, and the high shale content of the soils gives serious structure, and brings an earthy spicy character to syrah planted in them.
Mountain View - The soils are shale based, which drain easily, reducing vigor and providing grapes of perfume, freshness and structure.

The vineyards are planted with grape varieties (which are mostly Mediterranean in origin) that are ideally suited to the environment, and are farmed sustainably and in harmony with their surroundings: Syrah, Chenin Blanc, Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Viognier.