Straw Wine

Mullineux Wines Releases Another Classical Lineup of Their Swartland Single Terroir Wines – Part 3: Tasting the New Release Olerasay 4º Solera Straw Wine…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

One of the true wine gems in the Mullineux portfolio, the Olerasay sweet wine now stands alongside Vin de Constance as one of South Africa’s greatest sweet wine creations. Only in its fourth edition, this latest multi-vintage release from the Mullineux’s Chenin Blanc straw wine solera system is again a world class stunner that will leave the fussiest of global fine wine lovers speechless.

Mullineux Olerasay 4º Straw Wine is made from 100% Chenin Blanc and was bottled on the 16th of January 2024, with a total production of 4,472 bottles or 372 cases of 375ml bottles. The vineyards chosen to make this balanced, yet very sweet and incredibly special Straw Wine are naturally very high in acid, flavour and good physical structure. To achieve these qualities, the calibre of the old vine Chenin Blanc planted on the decomposed Granite based soils of the Paardeberg are fundamental. The grapes were hand-harvested between 2008 and 2023 with a yield on average 4 to 6 tons/ha, which translated to 24 to 33HL/ha before the desiccation process. The average post-drying recovery was 10-20%, translating to 2.4 to 6.6 HL/ha. By picking the grapes at normal ripeness and then drying them in the breezy outside conditions for the desiccation process, the Mullineuxs are not just concentrating sugar and flavour, but also increasing the intense, zesty acidity that they feel is so important in making a balanced Straw Wine.

Tasting the Olerasay 4º in London with Chris Mullineux.

After drying for several weeks, the grapes were crushed and pressed to 225L barrels where a long, slow natural fermentation took place. Each year the fermentation stops at a natural balance after 8 to 12 months. A vintage Straw Wine is always bottled however a few barrels were selected to go into a complex Solera system of barrel-aging that was started with the first Mullineux vintage in 2008. The Mullineuxs decided to bottle the first iteration of OLERASAY 1º which was a fractional blend of 2008 to 2014 when it was different enough from the vintage Straw Wine, followed by the 2º in 2020 and the 3º in 2022. The respective fractionally blended OLERASAY 4º comprises of the 2008 through 2023 vintages, which is incredibly complex, bringing unstoppable length and freshness.

Mullineux Olerasay 4º Straw Wine, WO Swartland, 8% Abv.

365 g/l RS | 11.4 g/l TA | 3.33pH

A deep alluring golden honeycomb yellow colour, this deliciously sweet, opulent blend boasts a vital and complex aromatics of dried apricots, peach skins, fynbos spice and orange marmalade nuances before subtle notes of wet hay, honeycomb, bees wax, grilled cashew nuts and caramelised yellow grapefruit emerge. For all the unfurling complexity on the nose, it’s the incredible intensity and balance on the palate that really sets this wine apart, with a concentrated zingy depth of dried apricots and passionfruit harmonising perfectly with a searing, tangy acidity that lightens the sugar sweetness and leaves your palate salivating for another sip. The finish is long, delicately saline and truly multi-dimensional, with lingering notes of candied oranges, crystallised figs and stem ginger. This is not only one of the greatest sweet wine expressions in South Africa, but undoubtedly, one of the most beguiling, complex and intellectually engaging sweet wines in the world of fine wine. A wine not to be missed. Drink on release and over the next 20 to 30+ years.

(Wine Safari Score: 99/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Assessing the New Releases from Mullineux Wines – Part 3: Tasting the Olerasay 3º Solera Straw Wine…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ 1 Comment

Every year since 2008 the Mullineuxs have made a vintage Straw Wine. The two vineyards they chose to make this very sweet but incredibly special Straw Wine are naturally very high in acid, flavour and structure. This way, when they pick the grapes at normal ripeness and then dry them outside during the desiccation process, they are not just concentrating sugar and flavour but also increasing the intense, zesty acidity that is so critically important when making a balanced Straw Wine.

After drying the grapes for several weeks, the grapes are crushed and pressed into barrel where a long, slow natural fermentation takes place. Along with the concentration of acids in the wine, there is a concentration of specifically the malic acid. This high level of malic acid prevents the onset of Malolactic fermentation, which of course seems counter intuitive. The wine always stops its slow fermentation naturally after 8-10 months, so no additional intervention takes place and (here’s where the difference is), while the vintage Straw Wine is bottled, a few barrels are selected that go into a special Solera system of barrel aging that was started with their first Mullineux vintage back in 2008. They decided to bottle the first iteration of OLERASAY (1º) that was a fractional blend of 2008 to 2014, when it was different enough from the regular vintage straw wine. The 2º bottling then took place five years later when the 2008-2019 OLERASAY was considered different enough from the first release.

Now they are releasing the OLERASAY 3º which has not only completed the original drying process off the vine but has continued to concentrate and stabilise in barrel over all of those years, concentrating again in sugar, flavour and natural acidity but also in extract, layers of mouthfeel and additional complexity. As Andrea confidently says… “this wine is bulletproof.” The maiden release was a real revelation and took the market by storm. In a world where apparently fine wine drinkers don’t buy sweet wine anymore, the wine received a rapturous welcome from consumers and collectors alike. The 5,000+ plus bottle production did not last very long in the market making the five year long wait until the second release a very thirsty and gruelling period of time for sweet wine lovers. The second release was rated 99/100 by A FINE WINE SAFARI and an astonishing 100/100 by Neal Martin at VINOUS Media. All eyes are now on the third, smaller bottling, and if initial mutterings from critics are anything to go by, this wine should continue the incredible success the OLERASAY brand has enjoyed since its inception.

Mullineux OLERASAY 3º, WO Swartland, 8.42% Abv.

375 g/l RS | 11.2 g/l TA | 3.3 pH

Picked with yields around 4 tons per hectare with a balling of 22 at harvest, the concentration and intensity of this wine is clear to see from the word go. The aromatics on opening initially were slightly more boldly fruity with youthful nuances of peaches and dried apricot, marmalade, passion fruit and honey. But with a little time and exposure to air, the nose becomes a lot more perfumed and intricate as it starts to unfurl to show more of its solera complexity. The aromatics display notes of dried rose petals, peach tea, chamomile and honey and an underlying note of dried straw, freshly baked apple strudel pastries and crème brulee. On the palate the texture is dreamy and plush, superbly balanced with a silky soft glycerol texture that glides off the tongue like a drop of oil on a block of ice. The intensity is focused and fabulously potent with incredible depth and breadth without ever becoming too unctuous, overwhelming, or too sweet thanks to a deliciously intense, invigorating tangy acidity. The finish is splendidly long and persistent leaving an attractive aftertaste of caramelized almonds, marzipan and dried guava roll. Simply pitch perfect. What else can one say other than this truly is an extraordinary and unique vinous creation. Drink now and over the next 40+ years. (1,800 x 375cl bottles released.)

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

Mullineux & Leeu Family Wines End an Agonising 5 Year Wait with the Release of Olerasay Segundo…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

For many, 2020 will undoubtedly be a year to forget, an annus horribilis of pandemics, economic crises and lockdown blues. But while it might be marked for being a challenging year all-round, it will also hopefully be remembered in fine wine circles for the highly anticipated second release of the famed Mullineux sweet wine, the Olerasay Straw Wine made from air dried Chenin Blanc grapes.

The Olerasay No.1 or “Primiero” as Chris and Andrea call it, was an inspired creation that fractionally blended multiple vintages of their prestigious Chenin Blanc Straw Wine into a mellow, ultra complex multi-vintage blend covering components parts from 2008 to 2014. With the reputation for the Mullineux Straw Wine already well established, the Olerasay Primiero took the wine world by storm and garnered sky high scores such as 99/100 from Neal Martin at Vinous but also a rare 99/100 from the Fine Wine Safari.

A truly incredible wine, the Primiero Olerasay sadly came and went all too quickly in the retail market and by the time many consumers woke up to the greatness of this wine, it was completely unobtainable except at auction. Five years later we are finally being treated to the release of Olerasay No.2 or “Segundo” which is made up of component vintages from 2008 to 2019.

Straw Wine Chenin Blanc before pressing.

Grapes are sourced from the Mullineux’s own vineyards (owned or leased), primarily from the Schist based soils of the Kasteelberg and the decomposed Granite based soils of the Paardeberg. Vineyards are picked at the normal time with around 22-23 Brix sweetness but are then dried outdoors in the shade under nets for three to four weeks allowing the moisture in the grapes to evaporate naturally, concentrating sugars, acids and the natural Chenin Blanc flavours.

However, the vineyards selected every year are always the blocks showing higher acids at full ripeness, very healthy clean bunches of just the right size with grapes not too tightly packed together to avoid any problems with Rot.

Mullineux Olerasay No.2 Straw Wine Chenin Blanc NV, 8.3% Abv.

Always 100% Chenin Blanc, the Segundo was bottled on the 17th of January 2020, producing 6,180 375cl bottles or 515 cases of 6. The total RS at bottling was 331 g/l balanced by a TA of 11.3 g/l and a pH of 3.36. The final blend is bottled unfiltered and unfortified from 225 litre French oak barrels in the solera. Beautiful old gold yellow, the aromatics on this wine are spectacular! Every time you take a sniff, the wine offers up yet another layer of complexity. Always vibrant and fresh, the nose shows truly delicious notes of lemon cordial, passion fruit, sweet white peaches, honey on warm white toast, grapefruit preserve and zesty piquant notes of tangerines and Seville Orange marmalade. Utterly mesmerising, you could easily sit and nose a glassful for an age before even contemplating taking a sip. The rich fruit aromatics are followed by yet more dried fruit characteristics with pronounced nuances of dried apricots and pineapple slices, grilled nuts, dusty granite and blood oranges. The palate too is enthralling and delivers on all the expectations. Dense, creamy and textured, the wine remains fresh to the very end with the help of a razor sharp balancing acidity. This may have 331 g/l residual sugar but at no point does the palate feel clawing or over the top. It really is the luxurious complexity combined with the vibrant freshness and purity of fruit that make this wine a real knockout. No oxidative sherry or toffee notes to speak off, just a beautiful intensity of candied fruit. As this is a solera style sweet wine, you can certainly drink it on release without any guilt but it will of course age practically forever! Drink from 2020 to 2060+. (6,180 bottles produced.)

(Wine Safari Score: 99/100 Greg Sherwood MW)