Olerasay 4°

“Twenty-three was actually a classic Swartland vintage,” Andrea Mullineux explained. “We had a bigger diurnal shift with very warm days and cool nights. The rains came in March, but we had finished picking by mid-February.” Chris Mullineux continued: “The one wine that opens doors for us in America now is Chenin Blanc, which was, in fact, the most planted grape variety in California until 1987. Charles Krug Chenin Blanc was one of the biggest labels. There was also a Gallo jug wine called Chablis that was 100% Chenin Blanc. So, there is a huge palate recognition for the grape variety.”

I asked Andrea about her pet project regarding Sémillon Gris, and she told me: “We are working on isolating cuttings of Sémillon Gris and working with the Department of Agriculture to get the variety certified in the vineyard and eventually certified as a wine.”

Chris offered an insightful view of the 2022 ripening, stating that single-day heat spikes could stop the vines for a few days, resulting in a step-like ripening rather than a gradual one. This was a strong set of new releases from Mullineux, which was advantaged by Swartland’s earlier picking, thus avoiding the February rains. I feel that their individual cuvées that namecheck the soil types are really finding more and more identity each year. The Chenin Blanc and Syrah Schist have their noses out in front this year. Their sweet wines, the Straw Wine and the fourth edition of their solera, Olerasay, now a blend of vintages between 2008 and 2023, are spellbinding.