2021 Mullineux Schist Syrah
2021 Mullineux Schist Syrah

2021 Mullineux Schist Syrah

97 pts
Mullineux |Swartland |Shiraz
Grown on the rugged schist soils of Roundstone Estate, this is Mullineux’s most powerful and age-worthy Syrah—bold, structured, and a pure expression of Swartland’s finest terroir.
Price:
$195.00
Stock:
Sold out
Rendering loop-subscriptions

Description

This is the top-of-the-tree Syrah from champion South African producer Mullineux, and it's worth every penny.

The Schist Syrah is the backbone of Mullineux’s single-terroir range, grown on the rugged, rocky soils of Roundstone Estate—the very vineyard that convinced Chris and Andrea Mullineux to put down roots in the Swartland. These schist soils produce a Syrah with serious structure, broad tannins, and deep, dark aromatics, making it one of the most powerful wines in their lineup.

Fermented with a high proportion of whole bunches and aged in large-format French oak for 11 months before resting in tank for another nine, this is a Syrah built to age. It’s full-bodied and savoury, with layers of black fruit, cracked pepper, and spice, all wrapped up in fine, supple tannins. Fresh acidity keeps everything in balance, leading to a long, complex finish.

This is Syrah at its most expressive—pure Swartland character with a refined edge. It’s drinking beautifully now but will only get better over time. Pair it with something hearty or cellar it for a decade to see its full potential unfold.

97 points
"This dryland vineyard on the Mullineux' Roundstone property is one of the world’s great Syrah sites, yielding tiny bunches of concentrated grapes. Intensely perfumed and alluring, the resulting wine has notes of lavender and wild thyme, fine, granular tannins and layers of red berries, liquorice and sweet kitchen spices."
- Tim Atkin MW (2024 South African Wine Report)

97 points - "This dryland vineyard on the Mullineux' Roundstone property is one of the world’s great Syrah sites, yielding tiny bunches of concentrated grapes. Intensely perfumed and alluring, the resulting wine has notes of lavender and wild thyme, fine, granular tannins and layers of red berries, liquorice and sweet kitchen spices." - Tim Atkin MW (2024 South African Wine Report)

Vineyard Notes:
From six sustainably farmed vineyard parcels in different parts of the Swartland, with an average age of 30 years: three parcels planted in the stony shale and schist-based soils of the Kasteelberg; two parcels of dry-land bush vines grown in the decomposed granite of the Paardeberg; and one on the rolling, iron-rich soils west of Malmesbury.

Production Notes:
90% of the grapes are added to the tank as whole bunches, and the remainder is added destemmed. Minimal SO₂ is added, and no further additions are made. The must is initially pigeaged once a day. After about four days, fermentation begins with indigenous yeasts, and the wine is pigeaged once or twice a day, depending on extract and tannin development. Temperatures are kept below 28°C. Fermentation lasts 7 to 10 days, after which 3 to 7 weeks (depending on tannin development) of skin contact is given. The wine is then pressed to barrel for malolactic fermentation and maturation. Each parcel is racked in spring to blend the wine, which is then returned to barrel and later bottled unfiltered and unfined.

Maturation:
11 months in French oak 500L barrels and a further nine months in tank.

Price Bracket $101 and Above
Type Red
Body Full Bodied
Variety Shiraz
Country South Africa
Region Swartland
Feature Women in Wine
Reviewed By Decanter
Critic Score 97
Alcohol 14%
Size 750ml
Vintage 2021
Closure Cork

Mullineux

Located in South Africa's Swartland region, Mullineux, founded by Chris and Andrea Mullineux in 2007, has swiftly become a top-tier wine brand, celebrated locally and internationally. After working in France, South Africa, and California, the Mullineuxs chose Swartland for its ancient granite and schist soils. Their dedication paid off, earning them over fifty 5-star ratings from Platter’s South African Wine Guide and multiple Winery of the Year titles.

Their winemaking philosophy emphasizes minimal intervention, allowing the terroir to shine. They work with sustainable growers and cultivate their own vineyards at Roundstone Farm. Notable wines include Syrah, Chenin Blanc, and a luxurious Straw Wine. Their single-terroir wines particularly showcase the Swartland's diverse soils.

With a name meaning 'Watermill' in French, Mullineux is deeply connected to the Swartland, embodying the region's rich heritage and bright future in every bottle.

Chris and Andrea Mullineux Mullineux

Others also liked

Recently viewed

Common Questions

Delivery is free on orders of $150 or more.

For orders under this amount, delivery is calculated at checkout based on your postcode. You can order in any quantity or combination of wines you like. Straight dozens are not required.

We will dispatch your order the same or next business day.

Estimated delivery transit time varies depending on your location. Please review this page for specific estimates.

No sorry we do not have a store front and pickup is not available.

Yes, no problem. When placing your order select ‘Store at Different Drop and Delivery Later’ as your shipping method or reply to the order confirmation email after placing your order with additional instructions.

We stock three different sized gift boxes (single, three bottle and six), all are available for purchase for a flat rate of $8. They look great and make an awesome impression.

To add a gift box to your order, simply add at checkout. The special requests box is your friend, please give us as many details of what you are looking for and we will try our best, or get in contact to discuss it with you. 

If you want to bulk order gifts or if you have any trouble please email hello@differentdrop.com or call and we can try and help.

 

Our warehouse is automated so unless you tell us otherwise, we will ship your order. If you would like us to hold your order please reply to the order confirmation email after placing your order and we are happy to store your order for up to 6 months at no charge. You can review our heat policy here.

Yes, of course. We want Different Drop customers to always be getting the best price. You can see our price match policy here.

No, feel free to mix it up! There is no minimum requirement. You can order wines in any quantity or combination, 1 or 50+ bottles.

No, all prices are set at the full discounted dozen rate already.

If you can't add more wine to your cart it means we are low on stock of that wine. For example, if you are only able to 3 bottles and no more that means we only have 3 bottles left of that wine. If it's a must have, please contact us and we may be able to order more in for you.

Need a hand?

We’d love to help you out! Most questions can be sorted quickly through our Help Centre or by dropping us a line on chat or email. If it’s something urgent or you just really want to have a yarn about wine, food, or even the meaning of life, give us a call — we’re here for you.

Regular Enquiries

hello@differentdrop.com

Urgent Enquiries

02 8376 8775