“A good wine to everyone is a great wine to no one. And that, for me, is the essence of what I am trying to achieve behind my Cape Winemakers Guild Auction wines: wines that are rare, wines that can provoke your thoughts, your feelings, your emotions.”
Hailing from San Francisco, USA, Andrea studied viticulture and oenology at UC Davis before working at Cakebread, Viader and El Molino wineries in the Napa Valley. She first came to South Africa in 2004 to work a six-month stint at Waterford, and then moved on to Châteauneuf-du-Pape where, on the same trip, she met her husband Chris Mullineux.
In 2007, they set up their Swartland-based winery, Mullineux Family Wines. Andrea’s focus is on dry farmed Mediterranean varieties produced as naturally and classically as possible. Since their first release, her wines have received consistent critical praise locally and internationally in publications such as The Wine Advocate and the Platter’s Wine Guide. When Andrea is not hard at work in the cellar, her energies flow into her two children, veggie garden and the kitchen where she loves cooking up a storm, glass of wine in hand.
100% Sémillon
Wine of Origin Swartland
South Africa’s pre-phylloxera winemaking tradition, accounting for 40% of all plantings in the early 1800s. With only a few parcels of Sémillon Gris left today, this particular vineyard was established in 1960 on the granite slopes of the Paardeberg and is a living legacy of this historic variety. To preserve its heritage, we took cuttings which underwent a meticulous ten-year re-propagation process through a nursery and subsequently planted the country’s first official Sémillon Gris vineyard on Roundstone, our regenerative organic estate in the Swartland.
Tasting Notes:
“Un bel dì, vedremo levarsi un fil di fumo
sull’estremo confin del mare E poi la nave appare.”
“Un bel dì vedremo” from Puccini’s opera “Madama Butterfly” expresses emotions of hope, anticipation, and determination to wait faithfully despite the passage of time and the challenges faced. I see this echoed in our demonstration of devotion to South Africa’s viticultural heritage through the preservation and official propagation of Sémillon Gris.
Winemaker: Andrea Mullineux
100% Cabernet Franc
Wine of Origin Franschhoek
This single vineyard Cabernet Franc represents only the second release from this exceptional site we established upon the inception of Leeu Passant a decade ago. Planted stok-by-paaltjie on the east-facing slopes of Leeu Estates, this vineyard benefits from the cooler morning sun and long, slow ripening period. At the feet of the vines, protecting the the steep, terraced slopes, we have planted a permanent cover crop of diverse fynbos species, providing a distinct environment for the vineyard to thrive, express terroir and for nature to be integrated via these indigenous corridors.
Tasting Notes:
“Casta Diva, che inargenti
queste sacre antiche piante,
a noi volgi il bel sembiante
senza nube e senza vel.”
“Casta Diva” the aria from the Bellini opera “Norma”, is a passionate call to the Goddess of the Moon for tranquillity and harmony, two characteristics that I want one to experience when drinking this profound wine from a stunning vineyard.
To enjoy the gorgeous fragrance of this Cabernet Franc, decant if the time it requires in bottle is not an option.
Winemaker: Andrea Mullineux
100% Sémillon
Wine of Origin Swartland
“O siyeza, o siyeza , sizofika webaba noma
O siyeza, o siyeza, siyagudla lomhlaba
Siyawela ngapheshaya kulezontaba ezimnyama
Lapha sobheka phansi konke ukuhlupheka”
This wine represents a transition from the past to the future, as does the metaphor of transformation represented in the lyrics of Johnny Clegg & Savuka’s powerful “O Siyeza”.
Winemaker: Andrea Mullineux
100% Cabernet Franc
Wine of Origin Franschhoek
“Belle nuit, ô nuit d’amour
Souris à nos ivresses
Nuit plus douce que le jour
Ô, belle nuit d’amour!
Le temps fuit et sans retour
Emporte nos tendresses
Loin de cet heureux séjour
Le temps fuit sans retour”
“Bacarolle” by Jacques Offenbach
This is the last song I listened to before becoming a Mullineux and beginning my permanent journey in South Africa, and now, this is my first 100% Cabernet Franc that I am sharing with you, a wine that is an accumulation of love.
To enjoy the gorgeous fragrance of this wine, decant if the time it requires in bottle is not an option.
Winemaker: Andrea Mullineux
100% Sémillon Gris
62 years ago, Chubby Checker popularised The Twist, the first weather satellite was launched, Albert Camus died, Bono was born, the laser was invented, JFK was elected US president, a loaf of bread cost 9 cents, To Kill A Mockingbird was published, South Africa was not a republic, the first animals were successfully sent into Earth’s orbit and back, the heart pacemaker was invented and these heritage vines were planted in the Swartland.
Vinification: Planted in 1960, this extremely rare, dry-farmed Sémillon Gris heritage vineyard on the granite soils of the Paardeberg was hand-picked and fermented naturally in two barrels, left on the lees, unsulphured until bottling.
Try this wine while listening to “Stay” by Maurice Williams, written in 1960.
Winemaker: Andrea Mullineux
100% Chenin Blanc
This wine hails from Mullineux’s top three Chenin Blanc vineyards planted on three soil types: GRANITE, SCHIST and IRON. The grapes were whole bunch pressed to a single barrel and co-fermented in a layered fashion with indigenous yeast. Left on the lees, unsulphured until bottling. The wine will be auctioned off in its 34th month of ageing.
“Oh, to capture just one drop of all the ecstasy
That swept that
afternoon
To paint that love upon a white balloon
And fly it
from the toppest top of all the tops that man has pushed
Beyond his
brain
Satori must be something just the same”
Memory of a Free Festival Part 1 – Space Oddity (1990)
“I don’t know where I’m going from here, but I promise it won’t be boring” – David Bowie
Winemaker: Andrea Mullineux
100% Chardonnay
Wine of Origin Klein Karoo
This is the follow-up vintage to my force-of-nature, concentrated wine which was inspired by the extended barrel- aged white wines of the Jura and Rioja. It was created by picking at normal ripeness levels followed by fermentation and FIVE years of maturation and intensification by natural slow evaporation in oak. This means it has self-stabilised during a time and free radical dance and was reborn into this salty, zesty, marzipan textured wine.
From the incredibly cool Barrydale valley in the Klein Karoo, after fermentation this Chardonnay was aged in barrel for a further FIVE YEARS! In that time, as water evaporates, everything else in the wine concentrates. It is an intentionally powerful experience.
Last year the 2014 Radicales Libres scored 97+ points from Greg Sherwood M.W. and was awarded Platter’s 5-Stars.
“We passed upon the stair, We spoke of was and when Although I wasn’t there, He said I was his friend Which came as a surprise, I spoke into his eyes I thought you died alone, A long long time ago “ – David Bowie
Winemaker: Andrea Mullineux
This is not a normal wine. It is a force of nature. This wine was inspired by the concentrated white wines of Rioja that are created by picking at normal ripeness levels followed by fermentation and several years of barrel maturation.
From the incredibly cool Barrydale valley in the Klein Karoo, after fermentation this Chardonnay was aged in barrel for a further FIVE YEARS! In that time, as water evaporates, everything else in the wine concentrates. It is an intentionally powerful experience
Tasting Notes: Salt and Almonds and Time and Power. This wine is bulletproof and will pair amazingly with hard cheese and salty nuts.
Winemaker: Andrea Mullineux
59 years ago Chubby Checker popularised The Twist, the first Weather Satellite was launched, Albert Camus died, Bono was born, the laser was invented, JFK was elected US president, a loaf of bread cost 9 cents, To Kill A Mockingbird was published, South Africa was not a republic, the first animals were successfully sent into Earth’s orbit and back, the heart pacemaker was invented and these heritage vines were planted in the Swartland.
Tasting Notes: Planted in 1960, this extremely rare, dry-farmed Semillon Gris heritage vineyard on the granite soils of the Paardeberg was hand-picked and fermented naturally in a single barrel.
Try this wine while listening to “Stay” by Maurice Williams, written in 1960.
Winemaker: Andrea Mullineux
This extremely rare 100% Semillon Gris is from a 58-year-old, dry farmed, Certified Heritage Vineyard grown on the granite soils of the Paardeberg in the Swartland. The grapes were picked by hand in the cool, early morning. In the winery, the gently whole-bunch pressed Semillon Gris was fermented naturally in neutral barrels and bottled after one year. This wine, in texture and intensity, reflects the personality of the 2017 vintage in the Swartland.
Winemaker: Andrea Mullineux
This Cinsault is my fi rst ever WO Franschhoek bottling, and is from South Africa’s second oldest red wine vineyard (a very special 91-year-old bush vine parcel). It was made using natural yeast and whole-cluster fermentation to highlight its unique site.
Winemaker: Andrea Mullineux
“The nitrogen in our DNA, the calcium in our teeth, the iron in our blood, the carbon in our apple pies were made in the interiors of collapsing stars. We are made of starstuff [and therefore so is this wine].” Carl Sagan
Winemaker: Andrea Mullineux
This rare Clairette Blanche is my effort to showcase how special historically significant varieties are in South Africa. The vineyard is 40 years old and dry land farmed on Paardeberg Granite. Natural fermentation in barrel. Clairette Blanche evolves beautifully.
Winemaker: Andrea Mullineux
The Trifecta Syrah comes from our three best Swartland vineyards. One Syrah vineyard is grown on Schist soil, one on Granite soil and one on Iron soil; bringing brooding structure, perfumed freshness and lush mid-palate to the wine. The grapes were hand-picked and whole-bunch fermented together naturally. The wine spent two years in barrel and 18 months in bottle before release. 2013 was a very perfumed and sophisticated vintage in the Swartland.
Winemaker: Andrea Mullineux
This very rare wine is made from 100% Semillon Gris from a 56 year old heritage, dryfarmed vineyard grown on the granite soils of the Paardeberg in the Swartland. The grapes were picked by hand, early in the morning, while the air was still cool. In the winery, the Semillon Gris was whole-bunch pressed gently. The juice was settled overnight and then racked to two neutral barrels where it fermented naturally, and eventually also completed malolactic fermentation. After one year on the lees (but not stirred) the wine was racked clean and bottled. Only 500 bottles were made.
Winemaker: Andrea Mullineux
The Trifecta Chenin Blanc comes from our three best Swartland vineyards. One Chenin vineyard is grown on schist soil, one on granite soil and one on quartz soil; bringing depth, freshness and spiciness to the wine. The grapes are hand-picked and whole-bunch pressed to barrel where they are fermented naturally. After blending, the wine was bottled after one year.
Winemaker: Andrea Mullineux
This 55 year old heritage vineyard grown on the granite soils of the Paardeberg is one of the rarest variants of Semillon as it only develops its “Gris” characteristics after 30 years. The grapes are hand-picked and then whole bunch pressed to French oak barrels for natural fermentation. I chose this as my CWG wine for its rarity, intrigue and harmony. Tasting Notes: Grapefruit pith nose with a spice focus of clove and saffron fronds. Floral high notes of chamomile and elderflower complement the textured, lengthy palate of peach stone and ginger powder leading to a taut finish.
Winemaker: Andrea Mullineux
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