Mullineux et Lleu - Kloof Street - Rouge 2018
Mullineux & Leeu Family Wines is a family owned winery located near the village of Riebeek Kasteel, in the Swartland region of South Africa. Founders and winemakers Chris and Andrea Mullineux have taken a natural approach to winemaking since the estate was founded in 2007 and work with winemakers who approach farming with sustainable and natural methods. The domain's company name was changed from Mullineux Family Wines in 2013 with a new investment from Analjit Singh, adding “Leeu”, which means “Lion” in Afrikaans. Mullineux wines are vinified with a minimalist approach. Apart from a small amount of sulfur, nothing is added or taken away from their wines. The grapes are fermented with native yeasts and macerated for about four to six weeks before being pressed directly into barrels. All Mullineux wines go through malolactic fermentation and are aged in French oak barrels. When ready, they are bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Kloof Street Red is a blend of Syrah (44%), Tinta Barocca (44%), Grenache (7%), Cinsault (4%) and Carignan (1%). The grapes for the 2018 Kloof Street come from eight sustainably farmed vineyard parcels in different parts of the Swartland, aged 12-40 years. They are chilled in a cold room, where after they are destemmed to tank and around 25% whole bunches are added. The must is initially pigeaged once a day. After about 4 days, fermentation begins with indigenous yeasts, and the wine is pigeaged once or twice a day. Total maceration is between 4 to 6 weeks. The wine is then drained and pressed to barrel for malolactic fermentation. The different parcels are racked in Spring to blend the wine, which is then returned to barrel for 11 months in third and fourth-fill French oak 225 litres barrels and 500 litres demi-muids.
Grape varieties: 44% Syrah, 44% Tinta Barocca, 7% Grenache, 4% Cinsault, 1% Carignan
