2011 Mullineux Straw Wine - 97 WA pts

WINE TALK
#1

I don’t usually comment on the colour of wines if it wasn’t for how deep this was. It was almost brown & looking quite old. Despite that, the palate is fresh with its 230g/l RS (the lowest RS of all the Mullineux straw wines made) and served around 10C. I got a lot of primary apricot/honeysuckle/marzipan aromatics with complex secondary notes of slowly baked sweet orange/caramel/golden honey followed by tiny twists of subtle smokey black cardamon/grated ginger/sweet herb savouriness. Inch-perfect acidity (9.9g/l) puts everything into place making quite a thrilling wine which will live on for a number of years. Made from air-dried Chenin Blanc grapes and NOT one to knock back! 5750 ½ bottles filled. £13.97/$19.40 half bottle. 12%vol. 94pts

PS I paired this (disastrously) with a Harbourne Blue cheese which is made at the Ticklemore Dairy, Devon. It was touted to be made in a similar way to Roquefort except using goat’s milk which, in my eyes, was a complete fail with this wine. Oh well.

#2

Great wines. I’ve had the '10 and '11. The '10 is even sweeter (believe over 300 g/L), but with huge acidity. Holding a bottle of the '10 I bought in South Africa – don’t see many notes on these or about how they age so interesting to see your data point. Special stuff.

#3

been buying their straw wine and Chenin bottlings for a while and enjoyed every single one since

#4

These wines were recently picked up for the US by Skurnick, so you should see them in more places over here.

They are also going to be part of Hospice du Rhone this year, for anyone who may be attending.

Cheers.

#5

Great to hear. US availability has always been spotty, so hoping this makes it easier.