Mullineux

An hour’s drive north of Cape Town takes you to the Swartland, a hot and arid region that most people used to give a wide berth, preferring Stellenbosch or Franschhoek. Chris and Andrea Mullinex saw something different in this place.

Since 2007, their winery has become one of the most talked-about in South Africa, helping to redefine the country’s wine identity from scratch.

History

Andrea grew up in Northern California and studied viticulture and oenology at the University of California, Davis. Chris and Andrea met at a wine festival in Champagne. In 2007, they moved to the Swartland together, drawn by the region’s old vineyards and ancient soils. Starting from scratch, they built Mullineux into a brand that has received over fifty five-star ratings in Platter’s South African Wine Guide and has been named ‘Winery of the Year’ by Platter’s five times: in 2014, 2016, 2019, 2020 and 2023, more often than any other producer.

In 2013, they joined forces with Indian entrepreneur Analjit Singh to create Mullineux & Leeu Family Wines, adding a second winery, Leeu Passant, in Franschhoek. In 2016, Wine Enthusiast magazine named Andrea ‘Winemaker of the Year’. 

Vineyards

The Mullineux family’s home estate is Roundstone, a 110-hectare property on the south-western slopes of Mount Castelberg near Riebeek-Kastel. Around a third of this area, approximately 22 hectares, is planted with vines, whilst the remainder is set aside for fynbos and cover crops. In addition, they source grapes from around 20 further hectares across 30 plots in other parts of the Swartland, particularly in the vicinity of Paardeburg and Malmesbury.

Roundstone’s vineyards are cultivated using organic farming methods, and work is underway to obtain Regenerative Organic certification. The vines are grown without irrigation and trained into a bush form, interspersed with local fynbos to support native insects.

Terroir

The Swartland is situated in one of the oldest geological regions in the Cape. Castelberg is dominated by stony shale and clay-shale soils, which restrict vine growth, produce small bunches and lend the wines density and structure.

Neighbouring Paardberg, where they source additional grapes, is built on weathered granite, which typically produces wines with mineral freshness and bright acidity.

A third soil type, iron-rich clay west of Malmesbury, adds tannic density to the blends. The climate here is warm and dry in summer, tempered by afternoon Atlantic breezes that help preserve acidity.

Grape varieties

Chenin Blanc and Syrah are the two stars. White blends are based on Chenin Blanc with additions of Clairette Blanche, Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Semillon Gris and Verdelho from plots of old vines up to 70 years old. Red blends combine Syrah with Grenache, Cinsault, Carignan and Tinta Barocca. The estate also experiments with heat-loving varieties such as Assyrtiko and Vermentino.

Winemaking

The approach is minimalist. Nothing is added to or removed from the wines, apart from a small amount of sulphur. No commercial yeasts, acids, tannins, enzymes, or fining and filtering agents are used. The grapes are harvested by hand, and fermentation takes place spontaneously using indigenous yeasts. For Syrah wines, whole-bunch fermentation plays an important role. The wines are aged in a mixture of French oak barrels, demi-muids and large wooden vats.

Wines

The range is divided into three tiers.

The Single Terroir series, including Schist Syrah, Granite Syrah, Schist Chenin Blanc and Granite Chenin Blanc, is produced from grapes grown on individual plots with specific soil types and is a vivid embodiment of the winery’s terroir-focused approach.

The Signature range, comprising Syrah, Old Vines White Blend and Straw Wine made from air-dried Chenin Blanc, is a blend from vineyards across the Swartland.

The Kloof Street range offers wines for everyday drinking: Chenin Blanc and a red blend. Leeu Passant wines, produced in Franschhoek from old Cape vineyards, form a distinct portfolio of their own.