Mullineux Family Wines

Swartland, South Africa Mullineux is a small, highly focused family winery producing hand crafted wines from the granite, shale and schist based terroirs of the Swartland Region of South Africa. Andrea and Chris Mullineux are the proprietors. Chris was born in Cape Town, raised in Johannesburg. For 5 years he managed the vineyards and cellar of up a boutique organic winery in Tulbagh. Chris worked harvests at top wineries in Cote Rotie, Bandol, the Languedoc, Roussillon, and California. Andrea is from San Francisco. She studied Viticulture and Oenology at UC Davis. She has worked harvests in Napa, Chateaneuf and South Africa. Andrea met Chris at a wine festival in Champagne. Mullineux practices organic and biodynamic theories, but have chosen not to get certified. Their vineyards are planted mostly with Mediterranean grape varieties, that are ideally suited to the environment, and are farmed in harmony with their surroundings. Dry farming allows for a natural concentration in the wines, and ensures the vines properly reflect the character of each vintage. Cover cropping is practiced to maintain healthy, balanced insect populations and help with nitrogen assimilation. In the cellar, apart from minimal amounts of sulfur, nothing is added to, or removed from their wines. They use indigenous yeasts, do not add acids, tannins, or enzymes, and bottle their wines unfined and unfiltered. Many say they are at the forefront of a revolution. Their minimalist approach leads to very focused wines with a distinct expression of terroir. This is applying the Old World mantra to a New World wine with great results.