Mullineux Old Vines White 2024

Mullineux makes this white in Swartland, in South Africa's Coastal Region, as an old-vine field blend led by Chenin Blanc with Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Semillon Gris and Viognier. The fruit comes from old vines on the granite soils of the Paardeberg, where the decomposed granite is poor and free-draining, holding the vines to low yields and lending the wine a fine, stony minerality. Swartland is warm and dry, so the age of the vines and their deep roots are what keep the wine fresh and balanced. Blending several varieties grown and picked together builds natural complexity, each grape adding weight, aromatics or acidity. The wine is aged eleven months in 500-litre French oak barrels, larger casks that give slow oxygen exchange and lees texture with little oak flavour, so the fruit and site stay in front. The colour is deep gold. The nose leads with candied lemon, honeycomb and white flowers, with white peach and a waxy, saline note. The palate is full and dry, layered and long, closing on stone and citrus peel. Serve at 11 to 13 degrees in a large glass.