Mullineux Leeu Passant Dry Red Wine 2017

Rosa Kruger, acknowledged as 'the queen of the Cape's old vines' by Tim Atkin MW, has played a pivotal role in discovering and preserving many of the Cape's esteemed vineyards. Collaborating with Fairview in Paarl and Gabriëlskloof in Walker Bay, Rosa resides in Riebeek-Kasteel in Swartland, making her a neighbor of Chris and Andrea. When Chris and Andrea expressed their interest in working with old-vine fruit, Rosa guided them towards two of South Africa's oldest registered red wine vineyards, featuring dry farmed Cinsault bush vines.

The 'Basson' vineyard, planted in 1900 near Wellington on deep sandy alluvial soils, and the 'Lötter' vineyard, planted in 1932 on the lower eastern slopes of the Franschhoek mountains, became the focal points of their venture. Chris expressed the desire to tap into the heritage of the great Cape wines of the 1950s and 1960s, aiming to retain their best characteristics while employing a modern, non-interventionist winemaking approach.

Both the Wellington Old Vines Basson Cinsault and Franschhoek Old Vines Lötter Cinsault undergo 100% whole bunch fermentation, resulting in wines with lifted aromas and tannins that gracefully carry the fruit through the palate. Chris describes these wines as nothing short of masterpieces, embodying a harmonious blend of tradition and contemporary winemaking techniques.