After the atypical vintage conditions of 2021, the Swartland seems to have returned to its more usual pattern of hot and dry growing seasons for 2022 and 2023. In 2022, the region saw good winter rains and then the return of some heat spikes during verasion from January to March… “spikes more than heat waves” as Chris Mullineux explained, followed by cool spells which helped mitigate the earlier heat. Generally picked later compared to average, late February compared to early February due to the later start. But as Chris points out, “Chenin Blanc, and to a certain degree Syrah as well, are more drought avoiding cultivars rather than drought resistant, being able to ripen their fruit earlier and quicker as opposed to just coping well with a long, dry hot harvest.”

The 2023 season also saw good winter rains above average and the season started pretty late, leading to a warm, dry vintage. From Veraison, the days were mostly over 30c, and every day was warm, but the evenings were cooler. A classic Swartland vintage. All reds were picked long before the storms hit the Cape when some Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek producers still had some late ripening red varieties hanging on the vines.

All wines were tasted from Zalto Bordeaux glasses and reviewed over the course of three days after opening.

Mullineux Granite Eikelaan Chenin Blanc 2023, WO Swartland, 14% Abv.

1.8g/l RS | 6.5g/l TA | 3.3pH

Hailing from a 47-year-old dry land bush vine vineyard named Eikelaan (“lane of Oak trees”), the GRANITE Chenin Blanc, is the Mullineux’s highest altitude Granite soil vineyard on the Paardeberg. Due to its root formations being able to travel quite deep in the decomposed granite terroir, the canopies remain full and provide cool shade to both the fruit and the vines, thus safeguarding them from temperature fluctuations and sun. This in turn culminates in a Swartland Chenin Blanc with great elevated freshness, retention of perfume and linear ageing. The grapes were harvested on the 16th of February 2023 with a yield of 4 tons/ha, which translated to 24HL/ha. Grapes were harvested by hand in the cool early morning hours, the grapes were then whole bunch pressed to barrel and the juice handled oxidatively, ensuring longevity of the wine once in bottle. Primary and secondary fermentation completed its natural respective cycles without any interference, after which minimal SO2 was added and, in line with their ethos, no further additions were made. The wine was left on the lees in its respective barrels until spring, then racked and blended just before the 2024 vintage and bottled unfiltered. The GRANITE Chenin Blanc wine was matured for 10 months in 225L French oak barrels.

This beautiful 1976 old vine Chenin Blanc serves up a wonderful array of flavours in this “classic Swartland vintage” in 2023. Normally lean, reductive and incredibly tight grained and mineral, this year’s expression of the Granite Chenin Blanc boasts a wealth of rich yellow stone fruits and plenty of white flowers, fynbos, sour plum, peach and yellow citrus perfume. There is definitely more density, palate breadth and depth while retaining its telltale linear, taut, mineral demeanour. Despite being a turbo charged expression, the 2023 Granite Chenin Blanc still has the highest acidity of the three single terroir wines, finely balancing intense bruised yellow orchard fruit and orange marmalade notes on the palate. The finish is super pure and concentrated, deliciously tangy and superbly balanced. A real beauty to drink now and over the next 10 to 15+ years. (469 cases produced)

(Wine Safari Score: 97/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Mullineux Iron Rondomskrik Chenin Blanc 2023, WO Swartland, 13% Abv.

1.9g/l RS | 5.6g/l TA | 3.4pH

The ripening phase of the IRON Chenin Blanc bush vine vineyard is always ahead of their other single terroir Chenin Blancs and the 2023 vintage was no exception, producing the steadfast natural extract, balanced acidity, and alluring texture that they’ve grown accustomed to receiving from the Koffieklip soils where these vines live. This very special vineyard, now exclusively farmed for the IRON Chenin Blanc by the Mullineux team, is situated on the rolling hills outside of Malmesbury, enjoys cool nights and mild days during the growing season, which further contributes to the small and concentrated grapes of this Chenin Blanc. The grapes were hand-harvested on 2nd and 3rd of February 2023 with a yield of 4 tons/ha, which translated to 24HL/ha. This vintage being only the third ever release of the IRON Chenin Blanc, was managed in the cellar with the same attention to detail and careful handling of the delicate and tiny yield, as all our other wines. Both the primary and secondary fermentations spontaneously started and finished with indigenous yeast and a very small amount of Sulphur was added once the natural settling of the wine had completed. The wine was matured for 21 months in 225L French oak barrels.

Only the third vintage of the Iron single terroir Chenin Blanc produced (with the Quartz vineyard still going into the Old Vine White blend), this vineyard grown on a little knowl or hill, with persistent winds making for naturally small berries with a notable richness and ripeness, and also making this the earliest ripening of all the single vineyard sites. The aromatics are once again loaded with plenty of stone fruit complexity, beautifully perfumed with fragrant white flowers, honeydew melon, waxy orange peel, pineapple rock candy and a seductive soap stone minerality. A very confident wine showing great palate symmetry, a tight core of yellow fruits and hints of savoury lees, finishing with a lovely cool, lime lemon peel pith on the tangy fresh finish. A vibrant, harmonious wine that once again shows the highest levels of dry extract. Drink on release and over the next 10+ years. (506 cases produced)

(Wine Safari Score: 95+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Mullineux Schist Roundstone Chenin Blanc 2023, WO Swartland, 14% Abv.

1.9g/l RS | 6.3g/l TA | 3.35pH

The home of Mullineux, Roundstone Farm, has become synonymous with their SCHIST soils, where these Chenin Blanc bush vines flourish due to the well-suited appellation, as well as being consistently sustainably farmed by the Mullineuxs. The rocky soils limit vine size and so the clusters and individual grapes in turn remain smaller with a higher skin to juice ratio. This contributes to the structure of this wine, and with each vintage, mirrors the freshness and pure sunshine that define their SCHIST Chenin Blanc. The grapes were hand-harvested between 7th and 8th of February 2023 with a yield of 5 tons/ha, which translated to 30HL/ha. Carefully picked during the cool daybreak, the fruit was whole bunched pressed into barrel where fermentation started spontaneously. Once all the natural yeasts and microbes completed their predestined purpose, the wine was left to voluntarily settle on its own. This Chenin Blanc spent seven months on its lees in barrel, ensued by racking, blending and unfiltered bottling to further showcase its Swartland SCHIST characteristics. The wine was matured for 21 months in 225L French oak barrels.

Produced from grapes grown in a vineyard just below the Mullineux’s main house on the Roundstone property on shallow rocky soils, with much smaller “bonsai-style” bush vines yielding small grapes loaded with extra phenolics and more exposure to the sunlight. The aromatics are rich, exotic, and intense, packed full of white and orange citrus, fynbos, nectarine, honey, white peaches, and juicy honeydew melon nuances. As Chris says, you can definitely taste the sunshine on the grapes with this 2023 Schist. The palate is equally intense and concentrated, boasting layer upon layer of peach, tangerine, and sour yellow plum fruit before a zesty, vibrant acidity kicks in to add freshness and extra frame to the mouthfeel. Finishing with a subtle leesy, buttered white toast complexity, this is definitely a very special premium Chenin Blanc release from the Mullineuxs. Drink on release and over the next 10 to 15+ years. (361 cases produced)

(Wine Safari Score: 97+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Mullineux Wines are imported into the UK by Liberty Wines and are available retail on request from specialist South African merchant Museum Wines.