South Africa: New releases

The Syrah is as true an expression of this grape variety in the Swartland’s varied terroirs as you’ll find. In 2019, this was sourced from seven different parcels. Two parcels were from dry-land bush vines grown in the decomposed granite soils of the Paardeberg, two from the iron-rich soils just west of Malmesbury, and three parcels were from the stony Schist of the Kasteelberg. There's a great depth to the fruit here; the wine is bursting with Syrah black pepper, black olive pits, and red currants, with a floral note lifting the palate. Savoury and highly appetising, this is an exceptionally well-made wine from Chris and Andrea Mullineux.

From the hills that surround Malmesbury, this single vineyard Syrah is always the most backward of the Mullineux's wines. It's intense and bloody in character, with loads of dark fruit, intense tannins, and also a saline minerality. Long, precise, and incredibly soulful, it's a simply wonderful wine.

The Mullineux Old Vines White is a distinctly South African marriage of Chenin Blanc with Mediterranean varieties Clairette Blanche, Viognier, Grenache Blanc, Semillon Gris, and Verdelho. 2021 was a celebrated white wine vintage in the Cape, and this is a fragrant, saline and textured expression of the Swartland’s terroir. All the vineyards are sustainably farmed and are up to 67 years old. Indeed, this punches well above its weight.