Produced by Chris and Andrea Mullineux, the Kloof Street wines represent balance, freshness and superb value. They act as the perfect starting point for discovering the Swartland’s wines. It is immediately evident in the glass that as much care goes into these wines as Mullineux’s Single Terroir Syrahs and Chenin Blancs. The philosophy remains the same, sustainable viticulture and restrained winemaking, to produce an authentic expression of the Swartland.

The wines are named after the street where Chris and Andrea lived in Riebeek-Kasteel when they first started making their own wine. Originally renting vineyards and cellar space, they registered their Liquor Licence to their home address, or as Chris puts it – “effectively semi-legally bootlegging out of our garage”. They now make some of the most lauded wines in South Africa, with Kloof Street serving as a reminder of their modest beginnings.

The Swartland Rouge, a blend of Syrah, Tinta Barroca, Grenache, Cinsault and Carignan, is made with fruit sourced from across the Swartland. As testament to their quality, 60% of the grapes are whole bunch fermented and the maceration lasts four weeks. This gives a wine with an alluring perfume, lovely depth and vibrancy on the palate, and a zesty freshness on the finish. It is superb value. The Chenin Blanc is similarly impressive. Sourced from 40-year-old low-yielding (3-6 tonnes per hectare) vines, the fruit is whole bunch pressed then a proportion is fermented in stainless steel for freshness while the balance is fermented in old French oak barrels for texture.

The grapes are sourced from three sustainably farmed vineyard parcels from different parts of the Swartland. One parcel is sourced from 40-year-old old vine Chenin Blanc grown on the stony shale and schist-based soils of Kasteelberg, which retains heat well, ensuring even ripening and adds a mineral freshness to the wine. The other two parcels are from old, dry-farmed bush vine Chenin Blanc planted on the decomposed granite soils of the Paardeberg. The age of the vines, along with the dry conditions produces complex and concentrated fruit.

A cool and wet winter with above average rainfall put the drought of 2015 - 2019 firmly behind them. The growing season started with completely saturated soils and well rested vines. Budburst started a few weeks late due to the cool spring, and a few rainy periods early on meant extra vigilance was required in the vineyards to relieve disease pressure. However, after flowering, the season was relatively dry, and the vines and fruit looked very healthy. There were some warm spells in the Swartland from veraison through to harvest and this has made things more complex in certain vineyards where there was some uneven ripeness. This was managed by harvesting some blocks in several tries. Harvest started a few weeks later than average, yielding fruit with excellent intensity and aromatic complexity.

Grapes were chilled in Mullineux's cold room facility, then pressed as whole bunches before the juice was allowed to settle overnight. Minimal SO2 was added and, as with all their wines, no further additions were made. The juice was then racked to tank (85%) and older French oak barrels (15%), for added complexity and roundness on the palate. Fermentation took place with indigenous yeasts and lasted up to six weeks. The barrels were racked and blended with the tank fermented portion before bottling.

This wine has bright aromas of sun-ripened pears, white peach and wet stone on the nose. The palate has a vibrant acidity balanced by supple texture and pithy character. The finish displays a refreshing, saline edge.