Mullineux Single Terroir Granite Syrah 2018
The Mullineux Single Terroir wines are made from small parcels of old vines, usually dry farmed on the ancient granite, quartz, schist or iron based soils of the Swartland. Grapes for the Mullineux Granite Syrah are sourced from a single parcel of 24 year old dry land, bush vines grown in the decomposed granite of the Paardeberg. This is the parcel of Syrah that gives the best expression of the Paardeberg’s terroir freshness and perfume. The grapes were first chilled in Mullineux's cold room before the whole bunches were then put into open top, 500 litre French oak barrels and crushed by foot to release some juice. Minimal SO2 was added and, as with all their wines, no further additions were made. After about four days, fermentation began with indigenous yeasts and lasted about 10 days. Following a further four weeks of skin contact the wine was drained and pressed to barrel for malolactic fermentation and maturation. The cap was punched down once a day before, during and after fermentation. The wine spent 12 months ageing in 500 litre French oak barrels, 25% of which were new, followed by nine months in second fill Foudre. After a total of 21 months in barrel, it was bottled unfiltered and unfined and then rested in bottle for a further nine months before its release. This violet-perfumed Syrah is the most elegant of the Mullineux single-terroir Syrahs. The palate is medium to full bodied and delicately spicy, with a silky texture balanced by a fresh, natural acidity. There are notes of black pepper, violets and lilies, red berries and herbs. This wine will greatly benefit from decanting if drunk within the first 3 to 5 years after bottling.
