Mullineux: 5x Winery of the Year, Named After the Soil
Andrea and Chris Mullineux have won Platter's Winery of the Year more times than anyone in history. Schist Syrah, Iron Chenin Blanc, Granite Grenache -- every wine is named after the soil it grows in. The straw wine takes 3 weeks to air-dry grapes on rooftops. In Riebeek Kasteel, near Sadie.
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Andrea Mullineux - an American from San Francisco who studied at UC Davis - was named Wine Enthusiast's International Winemaker of the Year in 2016. She was the FIRST South African winemaker and only the THIRD woman to win this award in 17 years. That single honor put the Swartland on the global wine map more than a decade of marketing ever could. Her husband Chris is South African to his bones - a viticulturist who understands vines at a cellular level. They met at a wine festival in Champagne, married their expertise, and proved the Swartland could rival the great Mediterranean regions. When you arrive at the Mullineux tasting room in Riebeek Kasteel, ask the staff about Andrea's 2016 award and the five Platter's Winery of the Year wins (2014, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2023). No other winery in South Africa has achieved this. Show them you know the history. The official website and tasting materials list the awards. Read them before your tasting - context makes the wine taste better.
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This is where terroir becomes religion. The Mullineuxs make THREE single-terroir Syrahs - same grape, same winemaker, completely different wines. Schist Syrah is the king. Tim Atkin scored 2022 at 97pts, calling it 'the perfume and texture of a great Côte Rôtie.' Granite Syrah is most elegant - from 24-year-old dry-land bush vines on decomposed granite of the Paardeberg. Iron Syrah is dark red plum, smoked meat, lush and juicy. Same vintage, side by side. This is the masterclass. Tastings on the FIRST FRIDAY of every month at 10am or 1pm only. Advance booking essential (+27 83 282 9269 or ruben@mlfwines.com). Maximum 12 people. R650 per person includes 9 wines from their Signature, Single Terroir and ROUNDSTONE ranges. Allow at least 1.5 hours for the tasting and vineyard walk (weather permitting). Ask the staff to explain the soil differences while you taste. Mullineux tasting room, Riebeeksrivier Road, Riebeek Kasteel. If you can't visit Mullineux in Riebeek Kasteel, you can taste their wines daily at The Wine Studio tasting room at Leeu Estates in Franschhoek. It's not the same as tasting at source, but the wines are the same.
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The Mullineux Straw Wine is their masterpiece in sweet wine. Made from Chenin Blanc harvested at normal ripeness to keep acidity, then the bunches are dried outside in the shade until half-raisined. Pressed whole-bunch, fermented naturally in old 225L barrels for about six months until the yeast gives up. Bottled unfiltered and unfined. The 2023 scored 96 from Wine Advocate. The 2017 scored 97 from Wine & Spirits. At the 2025 CWG Auction, Andrea's 'The Gris' Old Vine Semillon fetched R25,000 per six-bottle case - the highest-priced white wine lot. Ask if the Straw Wine is available to taste during your tasting at Mullineux or The Wine Studio (Leeu Estates, Franschhoek). It may cost extra or be part of the premium tasting. If available to purchase, buy a half-bottle (375ml). This is the wine to open at the end of your South Africa trip when you understand 370 years of context. If Straw Wine isn't available to taste, ask for the Old Vines White or any of the Chenin Blanc expressions. Chenin is what the Swartland does best, and Mullineux are the masters.
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In 2013, Indian billionaire Analjit Singh - founder of the Max Group - visited South Africa for the 2010 Soccer World Cup, felt 'a deep sense of belonging' in Franschhoek valley, and bought three farms to create the Leeu Collection hospitality empire. He partnered with the Mullineuxs to form Mullineux & Leeu Family Wines. The partnership created a second winery: Leeu Passant in Franschhoek (old-vine Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay from Stellenbosch mountain sites), while Mullineux continues in Swartland. Singh's investment gave them the resources to scale without compromising quality. The estate name changed to add 'Leeu' (meaning 'lion' in Afrikaans) - the Sanskrit derivation of Singh. Ask the staff at the tasting room about the two wineries: Mullineux (Swartland) and Leeu Passant (Franschhoek). Ask if any Leeu Passant wines are available to taste. Understanding that one team makes two distinct terroir-driven ranges is the key to appreciating their philosophy. If the staff are too busy to chat, the tasting materials and website explain the dual-winery structure. The partnership maintained integrity - this wasn't a sellout, it was a scaling-up.