Following the great press we recently received in Decanter magazine, some more good news today from the UK on our new releases, this time from Jancis Robinson on her Purple Pages. She recently included our 2008 White as one of her few South African wines in her list of Summer Favorites, and the tasting notes on our new releases are unfortunately subscriber only, so we’re posting the notes here:

Jancis Robinson's Purple Pages

MULLINEUX SYRAH 2008 SWARTLAND

This has come on beautifully since I first tasted it last November.  Lots of north Rhône subtlety and refreshment factor. Great to see something buck the local trend and turn out something, in the first vintage, with real finesse. 17/20

WHITE BLEND 2009 SWARTLAND (60% Chenin Blanc, 10% Clairette Blanche, 10% Roussanne, 10% Viognier, 10% Grenache Blanc).

Stunningly refined and appealing for those of who like dry whites to taste as though they have some of the bedrock (shale in this case) soaking in the wine glass.  Beautifully judged with notes of jasmine, lemon peel as well as all that minerality.  Lovely now but there is so much tucked in there that I suspect it will develop beautifully in bottle.  A great effort for a second vintage. 17,5/20

STRAW WINE 2009 SWARTLAND

Pale coppery colour and awfully viscous but thanks to the acidity of Chenin Blanc, this from a single parcel of nearly 30 year-old vines, this has great refreshment value too. Lovely balance and delightfully approachable already.  This was probably very difficult to make. 18/20

2008, 2009, Decanter, Jancis, Jancis Robinson, Purple Pages, Straw Wine, Swartland, Syrah, White Blend

Another nice mention on our wines over the weekend, this time by Jancis Robinson as one of her sugestions for Summer drinking in the Northern Hemisphere, in the Financial Times. Here’s her comment:

Mullineux White 2008 Swartland

Super-talented new operation in South Africa makes the most of old bushvines in a recently revived region. Very complex blend for the money. Should age well.

FT Weekend - Food and Wine

This is interesting reading as tasting the wine recently we feel the 2008 White is possibly reaching a phase where it is settling down and tightening up, and does indeed look like it will age well. If you try a bottle we suggest decanting it, or drinking over a couple of days.

It also gives food for thought on our 2009 White which we are in the process of releasing. The ‘09 vintage of the wine only completed 50% of its malolactic fermentation, and as a result of the higher malic acid content tastes fresher and tighter, and almost more alive. It’s interesting to taste the two wines next to each other.

And, in a third related note, we had a bottle of 2008 Voignier de Rosine from Stephane Ogier over the weekend. Stephane was one of the speakers at this years Hospice du Rhone, and this was the first wine he presented in his seminar. If I remember correctly (we were a bit cloudy after the Margharitas he was buying us the night before…),  he prefers not to allow his Viognier to go through malo, and this wine certainly benifits from the increased freshness. Maybe this is something we producers in the Swartland should look at…?

2008 White, Financial Times, Hospice du Rhone, Jancis Robinson, Malolactic fermentation, Stephane Ogier, Viognier