Mullineux Swartland Straw Wine 2023

$92.00

Product Notes

Variety: 100% Chenin Blanc

Bottling Date: 15 January 2023

Production: 3 050 bottles / 508 cases of 375ml bottles

Wine of Origin: Swartland

Vineyard details: During each harvest our freshest two old-vine Chenin Blanc vineyards, which provide natural acidity, have become integral in the creation of our Mullineux Straw Wine. These are from a 46-year-old Granite soil vineyard on the Paardeberg and a 42-year-old Schist soil vineyard on Kasteelberg.

Date(s) Harvested: The grapes were harvested between the 6th and 10th February 2023 yielding 4 tons/ha and 80l/ton = 5hl/ha after drying.

Winemaking: The Chenin Blanc was hand-harvested at a traditional ripeness level for a dry wine and then left to dessicate outdoors in the shade for 16 to 30 days. This process allows for the moisture to evaporate naturally from the berries, concentrating the sugars, acids and depth of flavour. Once the grapes were shriveled, half-way to becoming raisins, they were crushed, wholebunch-pressed and racked to old 225l barrels. The long, slow natural yeast fermentation which lasted for eleven months ensured layer upon layer of complex texture and flavour. We let fermentation stop naturally when the yeast couldn’t ferment any further. The wine was then racked, blended and bottled - unfined and unfiltered.

Maturation: This wine was aged for 11 months in neutral 225l French oak barrels.

Tasting Note: The 2023 Mullineux Straw Wine reflects a bright golden colour and becomes almost luminous in the light as one swirls the glass, highlighting the exceptionally well-balanced acidity and attractive viscosity of this vin de paille-style wine. Grown in the Schist soils of Kasteelberg, it shows aromas of sun-dried apricots, warm lemon meringue pie, a distinct pithiness and has an intense velvety mouthfeel - all characters culminating from the ancient soils of the Swartland.

Best served chilled at 9 to 11 °C with savoury-lead desserts or a combination of hard cheeses.

Technical Details at Bottling: Alcohol 7.5 % - RS 336 g/l - TA 11.4 g/l - pH 3.41