I visited the new tasting room at the Leeu Collection in Franschhoek, to taste through the new releases of the Mullineux wines.

It’s a lovely space, with glass windows looking through to the barrel cellar. Chris and Andrea Mullineux’ wines are now regarded as some of the very best in South Africa. Since their release they have been consistently good, and over recent vintages have achieved even more refinement and purity. I was really impressed by this line up.

Mullineux Kloof Street Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2015 Swartland, South Africa
Lovely ripe, textured apple fruit with a honeyed edge. Has some straw and herb notes. Lovely texture. Quite broad. 90/100

Mullineux Old Vines White 2014 Swartland, South Africa
80% Chenin Blanc, 10% Clairette Blanc, 5% Viognier and 5% Sémillon Gris. Barrel fermented, with 20% new oak that comes from a new foudre. Fine toast and nuts on the focused nose. Powerful palate shows apples, pears and citrus. This has lovely richness but it’s also very focused. 93/100

Mullineux Quartz Chenin Blanc Leliefontein 2015 Swaziland, South Africa
Single vineyard. So fine and expressive with apple, pear and tangerine notes, as well as minerals and spices. Linear and fresh with lovely brightness. 95/100

Mullineux Granite Chenin Blanc 2015 Swartland, South Africa
Generous but fresh with minerals, spices, citrus and ripe apple. Fresh and detailed with lovely concentration and intensity, yet it retains its freshness and purity. Very fine. 96/100

Mullineux Kloof Street Red 2014 Swartland, South Africa
Juicy, bright and vivid with fresh raspberries and cherries. Supple, fruity and berryish with nice focus. 90/100

Mullineux Syrah 2014 Swartland, South Africa
From seven vineyards and three different soil types. Floral black cherries and sweet raspberries on the nose. The palate is sweetly fruited but fresh with lovely purity, and hints of pepper and olive and a lovely bright focus. Such a pure Syrah, this should age nicely. 93/100

Mullineux Granite Syrah 2014 Swartland, South Africa
Very fresh with floral aromatics. So pure with direct raspberry and cherry fruit. Great definition to the lively, bright bruit with a core of linear acidity. Supple and beautifully focused this is a haunting, ethereal wine. 96/100

Mullineux Schist Syrah 2014 Swartland, South Africa
So floral and seductive with sweet black cherry and blackberry fruit, supported by nice tannins. Focused, quite firm, tannic, but not heavy. Lush and expressive, too. 94/100

Mullineux Straw Wine 2015 Swartland, South Africa
Brilliant stuff. Powerful flavours and aromas of marmalade, spice. Expressive and concentrated showing apricot and citrus, as well as keen acidity under the sweet, viscous fruitiness. Beautiful balance here. 95/100

See also: my review of the Mullineux wines from last September

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