Tag: south africa

Fun South African Syrah at a Fair Price

Today’s Story: Mullineux Wines

Mullineux Wines is a family owned and operated winery established in 2007 by husband and wife Chris and Andrea Mullineux. Situated in the Swartland wine region of South Africa, Mullineux sources fruit from trusted growers while growing some of their own vines in the Roundstone Farm property they own. Chris and Andrea are dedicated primary to Syrah, though they also grow and source Chenin Blanc, Grenache Blanc, Clairette, and Viognier. While all of these varieties grow quite well in the Swartland wine region, they also allude to both Chris’ and Andrea’s experiences working harvests in the Rhône Valley and other parts of France prior to establishing their namesake venture.

In the vineyards, Mullineux follows a minimally invasive philosophy which is aided by South Africa’s climate and weather being not very conducive to viruses and diseases. Their winemaking philosophy in the cellar is also centered in minimally invasive techniques, based largely in the desire to produce wines that express a true sense of place. Andrea does not add any yeasts, acids, enzymes, or other chemicals to the wines during fermentation and she practices gentle extraction given the structure naturally provided by the terroir. Following primary fermentation, the wines are pressed directly into French oak barrels of varying new percentages based on site and wine where they complete malolactic fermentation and aging. The wines are not racked unless necessary, and are bottled only when deemed ready without fining or filtration and minimal SO2 adds.

I previously reviewed their 2017 Old Vines White.

Today’s Wine: 2017 Syrah

100% Syrah; 14.5% ABV

The 2017 Syrah is medium purple in color with shades of deep ruby. Given some time to open up in the decanter, this wine blossoms with aromas of medium (+) intensity and a classic nose of plum, blackberry, blueberry, black cherry, violet, sweet tobacco, black pepper, a hint of smoke, and mild baking spice. Meanwhile the flavors are also of medium (+) intensity and the palate offers up notes of blackberry, blueberry, plum, black raspberry, cherry, licorice, violet, black pepper, and chocolate. This dry red is medium- to full-bodied with medium acidity, medium tannins, high alcohol, and a medium length finish. Good quality and a very solid bottle for the price.

Price: $35. This offers pretty decent value, as the wine has solid intensity and decent depth. It’s a little hot as the alcohol comes into better balance, and while the finish could be longer this is still a very solid bottle for its price-point.

If this wine seems like something you might enjoy, you may find this link helpful in locating it.

Fun South African White Blend Offering Very High Quality

Today’s Story: Mullineux Wines

Mullineux Wines is a family owned and operated winery established in 2007 by husband and wife Chris and Andrea Mullineux. Situated in the Swartland wine region of South Africa, Mullineux sources fruit from trusted growers while growing some of their own vines in the Roundstone Farm property they own. Chris and Andrea are dedicated primary to Syrah, though they also grow and source Chenin Blanc, Grenache Blanc, Clairette, and Viognier. While all of these varieties grow quite well in the Swartland wine region, they also allude to both Chris’ and Andrea’s experiences working harvests in the Rhône Valley and other parts of France prior to establishing their namesake venture.

In the vineyards, Mullineux follows a minimally invasive philosophy which is aided by South Africa’s climate and weather being not very conducive to viruses and diseases. Their winemaking philosophy in the cellar is also centered in minimally invasive techniques, based largely in the desire to produce wines that express a true sense of place. Andrea does not add any yeasts, acids, enzymes, or other chemicals to the wines during fermentation and she practices gentle extraction given the structure naturally provided by the terroir. Following primary fermentation, the wines are pressed directly into French oak barrels of varying new percentages based on site and wine where they complete malolactic fermentation and aging. The wines are not racked unless necessary, and are bottled only when deemed ready without fining or filtration and minimal SO2 adds.

Today’s Wine: 2017 Old Vines White

65% Chenin Blanc, 13% Grenache Blanc, 10% Viognier, 10% Clairette Blanche, 2% Semillon; 13.5% ABV

The 2017 Old Vines White is pale to medium gold in color. Given some time in the glass, the nose blossoms into aromas of pronounced intensity with notes of yellow peach, pear, lime zest, green apple, lemon pith, quince, chamomile, white lily, crushed gravel, beeswax, mild smoke, and toasted brioche. The flavors are also of pronounced intensity, with the palate showcasing notes of peach, tangerine, mango, kiwi, honeydew melon, honeysuckle, rose water, beeswax, saline, wet river stone, and dried green herbs. This dry white blend is medium-bodied with medium (+) acidity, medium alcohol, and a medium length finish. Very good quality, though I wished the finish lingered slightly longer.

Price: $30. I think this offers pretty decent value, thanks largely to its balance, complexity, and intensity. While the finish could be longer to really knock this out of the park, it’s still a very good quality wine and drinks very well.

If this wine seems like something you might enjoy, you may find this link helpful in locating it.

Impressive South African Red That Outperformed My Expectations

Today’s Story: Vilafonté

Vilafonté is a relatively new wine estate established in 1997 in the Paarl region of South Africa. A joint venture between Mike Ratcliffe of South Africa and Zelma Long and Dr. Phil Freese of the United States, Vilafonté consists of 42 hectares (104 acres) with 16 hectares (40 acres) planted to vine. A unique aspect of Vilafonté, and where it derives its name, is the ancient vilafontes soil which is recorded as one of the oldest soil types in the world between 750,000 and 1.5 million years old. This soil, having evolved over the centuries, encourages the vines to struggle and in turn results in smaller vines, lower yields, and higher quality fruit. The estate is planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec with the ultimate goal of producing Bordeaux blends. Vilafonté produces two main wines, the Cabernet Sauvignon dominant Series C and the Merlot/Malbec dominant Series M. They also produce a second label bottling called Seriously Old Dirt which I’ll be tasting today.

Today’s Wine: 2014 Seriously Old Dirt

41% Merlot, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Malbec; 13.5% ABV

The 2014 Seriously Old Dirt is deep ruby in color and opaque. I used my Coravin, so instead of decanting the bottle I let this open up in the glass for about 45 minutes. The aromas are of medium (+) intensity, with the nose showcasing notes of blackberry, plum, black raspberry, black licorice, violet, chocolate, a hint of vanilla, and mild oak. Meanwhile the flavors are also of medium (+) intensity with the palate displaying notes of blackberry, red plum, black cherry, blueberry, sweet tobacco, crushed rock, charred green herbs, and mild baking spice. This dry red is medium- to full-bodied with medium acidity, medium (+) but refined tannins, medium alcohol, and a long finish.

Price: $40. To be honest I wasn’t expecting a ton with this wine, but it greatly outperformed my expectations. I think this offers solid value and it is certainly a high quality wine. It’s beautifully balanced, offers considerable complexity, and has great length in the finish.

Benchmark Pinot Noir From a Pioneer in South Africa

Today’s Story: Hamilton Russell Vineyards

Hamilton Russell Vineyards is a family-owned and operated wine estate located in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley appellation of South Africa. The estate was established in 1975 by Tim Hamilton Russell, who purchased 170 hectares of undeveloped land only 2 miles from the Atlantic Ocean with the intent of producing world class wines in one of South Africa’s coolest climates. In 1991, however, Tim’s son Anthony took over and transitioned the property to only Pinot Noir and Chardonnay production. He also registered Hamilton Russell as an estate to signify they will only be making wines with owned fruit. In 1994, Anthony purchased the property himself and conducted a soil study which identified 52 hectares of optimal stony, clay-rich, and shale-derived soil which all plantings call home today. Anthony and his wife Olive own the estate, working alongside winemaker Emul Ross and viticulturist Johan Montgomery to produce terroir-driven examples of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Production numbers are relatively small thanks to very low yielding vines, with the most recent vintages producing 2,438 cases of 2018 Pinot Noir and 2,852 cases of 2019 Chardonnay. I would say these wines are worth seeking out though if you prefer the wines of Burgundy, as these are fantastic representations of their terroir made in a similar style. To view the offerings or learn more about Hamilton Russell, check out their website here.

Today’s Wine: 2018 Pinot Noir

100% Pinot Noir; 13.5% ABV

The 2018 Pinot Noir is pale to medium ruby in color. Given about 45 minutes in the glass, the wine blossoms with aromas of pronounced intensity which include cherry, black raspberry, red rose, leather, cured meat, barnyard, grilled herbs, gravel, a hint of asphalt, menthol, and clove. Meanwhile flavors on the palate are of medium (+) intensity, showcasing notes of dried cherry, stemmy strawberry, tart raspberry, red plum, tobacco, worn leather, tea leaf, mild vanilla, and clove. There’s some gorgeous bright minerality there as well. This dry red is medium-bodied with medium (+) acidity, medium (-) tannins, medium alcohol, and a medium (+) length finish. Rather Burgundian in style and will only be better in 3-5 years.

Price: $45. Though not an inexpensive Pinot Noir, I think this offers very solid value given its complexity, balance, intensity, and promise for the future. Hamilton Russell is a benchmark producer of Pinot Noir in South Africa, and they’re surely demonstrating it with this bottling.

Burgundian Pinot Noir From South Africa

Today’s Story: Storm Wines

Storm Wines was founded in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley of South Africa by Hannes Storm, and his first vintage on his own was 2012. Hannes worked for 12 years in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay before discovering two small vineyards for sale and establishing his namesake winery. He produces his wines with a goal of showcasing terroir above all else, practicing careful viticulture and minimal intervention in the cellar to craft these small production wines. Hannes produces his Vrede Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from vines planted in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, the Ignis Pinot Noir from vines in the Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, and the Ridge Pinot Noir from vines in the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge. He also crafted his first Ridge Chardonnay with the 2019 vintage. Total production sits around 1,800 cases annually.

Today’s Wine: 2015 Vrede Pinot Noir

100% Pinot Noir; 13.5% ABV

The 2015 Vrede Pinot Noir is pale to medium ruby in color and mostly opaque. After opening up for about 30 minutes, the very Burgundian nose showcases aromas of ripe red cherry, black raspberry, boysenberry, tobacco, barnyard, forest floor, gravel, and dried green herbs. On the palate, I get notes of redcurrant, raspberry, stemmy strawberry, leather, sous bois, black tea, smoke, saline mineral, and light oak. This is light- to medium-bodied with medium acidity, light tannins, and a medium (+) length finish. 550 cases produced.

Price: $40. I think this is very appropriately priced, and while more expensive than other South African Pinot Noirs I’ve tried this offers more depth, elegance, and the Old World style I prefer. Pair with seared duck breast, pheasant, or venison filet.

Pinotage Off the Beaten Path

Today’s Story: Beaumont Family Wines

Beaumont Family Wines, as the name implies, is a small family owned and operated winery established in 1974 by Jayne and Raoul Beaumont in Bot River, South Africa. Though the farm was originally established in the 1700s by the Dutch East India Company and is home to the region’s oldest wine cellar, its wine business did not start until the 1940s and halted during the late 1960s. When Jayne and Raoul replanted some of the vineyards and started producing their wines, they established the goal of producing small quantities of high quality wines including Chenin Blanc, Pinotage, Syrah, Mourvèdre, and various blends. All of the wines are crafted to showcase the terroir, so Beaumont practices minimal intervention and traditional winemaking methods including the use of natural yeasts for fermentation and old open concrete fermenters.

For more about Beaumont Family Wines or to browse their portfolio, check out the website here!

Today’s Wine: 2016 Pinotage

100% Pinotage; 14% ABV

The 2016 Pinotage is opaque deep ruby in color and produces moderate staining on the glass. Once this opens up, the nose showcases aromas of blackberry, wild blueberry, juicy black plum, smoked game, sweet tobacco, menthol, rocky mineral, and mixed nuts. On the palate, I get notes of black cherry, jammy blackberry, fig, muddled strawberry, black raspberry, licorice, dried rocky soil, mocha, and smoke. This is medium- to full-bodied with high acidity, medium tannins, and a long finish. 60 barrels produced.

Price: $33. This is a great price-point for the wine and is fairly accessible for those who want to explore South Africa’s signature variety. A cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault, Pinotage is a fun variety to try for those who like Pinot Noir or want to expand their horizons. Pair this with venison, smoked duck, or a meat lover pizza.

Delightful South African Red

Today’s Story: Paserene

Paserene is a relatively new, small, and family operated winery founded by Martin Smith and Ndabe Mareda with the first vintage in 2013. The winery gets its name from the Latin word “Passeriformes”which is used to describe traveling birds including swifts and swallows, and Martin chose this name in homage of his winemaking ventures that took him around the world before ultimately returning home to start his own winery. Martin is a third generation winemaker from the small town of Ashton, and from an early age grew a passion for wine and knew becoming a winemaker was his dream. He first “worked” in the wine industry during a week-long study at Nuy Winery during school and traveled to Portugal to learn at Amorim Cork, though his broader experiences followed after graduating from Elsenburg Agricultural College with studies in viticulture and winemaking. Post-graduation, Martin worked briefly at Vriesenhof Vineyards before spending five years at Cosentino Winery in the Napa Valley. In 2006 Martin moved to Caldwell Winery and worked alongside renowned winemakers including Tim Mondavi and Philippe Melka, though around 2011 he received an offer to become the winemaker at Vilafonte back in South Africa and returned home.

Today’s Wine: 2016 Marathon

53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Petit Verdot, 5% Carménère; 14% ABV

The 2016 Marathon is medium ruby red in color and moderately transparent. This requires some time to breathe, but once it opens up the nose showcases aromas of blackberry, plum, blueberry, licorice, olive, tobacco, volcanic soil, crushed rock, green herbs, and underbrush. Once in the mouth, this wine displays notes of blackberry, blackcurrant, black cherry, red florals, loamy earth, mushroom, black pepper, cigar box, and dried cooking herbs. This is full-bodied with medium (+) acidity, medium tannins, and a medium (+) length finish.

Price: $40 (though this is tough to get in the US and online shows a fairly broad range from $27-55 overseas). This is a high-quality South African wine that is both delicious and offered at a fair price. The bottle today is shared with me by two great friends who recently visited the winery. Pair this with grilled steak, game, veal, or spicy pork.