2 bottles of each of the following are included in this Special Priced 6-Pack:
Mullineux Family Wines Swartland Syrah 2019
I first tasted the wines of the Mullineux family years ago, and I was absolutely blown away by the value proposition—a wine that is thoughtful, delicious, and food-friendly to open any day of the week without pause. What I loved about these wines was the tension of ripe dark fruit balanced with savory notes of olive and black pepper. We often find that our favorite wines are those that somehow manage to be thoughtful and hedonistically delicious at the same time, and Mullineux falls squarely in that category.
The incredible balance of these wines is due largely to the perspective gained by Chris and Andrea Mullineux during their harvests in California and France, in addition to South Africa. Andrea was named Winemaker of the Year by Wine Enthusiast in 2016—the same year she and Chris captured the title of South African Winemakers of the Year from Tim Atkins. However, such balance in these wines would not be possible without the climate of South Africa’s Swartland region. Natural sun and warmth are moderated by coastal influence from the West, producing an ideal growing climate for Syrah. The tension of bright days to gain natural ripeness and cooler evenings to retain freshness and a savory quality make for an immensely balanced and downright delicious glass.
Te Papa Carneros Syrah 2020
It is a special treat to understand the quality of wine from the perspective of having been present for its creation. I had the privilege of an internship with winemaker Matt Sands during the 2020 vintage. Matt is also the winemaker for Napa’s Lithology winery. Te Papa is the very petite passion project started with his wife Amanda. In the glass, this Syrah exhibits an intense ripeness, a full body, and tannins only slightly softer than a Cabernet. Even with its intensity, the wine retains some distinct savory notes. Bring this to the next barbecue or serve with roasted lamb, and it will be the star. Matt, having grown up in New Zealand, and Amanda, with roots in the Midwest, met as temporary ski instructors in Tahoe in their 20s and then relocated to New Zealand’s Waiheke Island, where Matt furthered his winemaking career before ultimately moving to Napa Valley, where the couple now make their homes with their children Olive and Nico. The name “Te Papa” translates to “container of treasures” in New Zealand’s indigenous Maori language.
Piedrasassi ‘Bien Nacido Vineyard’ Santa Maria Valley Syrah 2020
Sashi Moormon has long been enamored with the cool coastal climate of Santa Barbara as an ideal location to produce a fresh style of Syrah. Having started his career at Ojai Vineyard, he grasped the precise conditions needed to produce this grape at its highest level of potential. Sashi also produces wine with Sandhi, Domaine de la Côte, and Oregon’s Evening Land. While he works with several vineyards for Piedrasassi, Bien Nacido stands out as the equivalent of Grand Cru in the region. Farming 100% organically, Sashi is a subscriber to the theory that winemaking truly begins in the vineyard. With only 158 cases bottled, Piedrasassi is as rare as it is delicious. Elegant in the glass, the wine displays notes of herb and pomegranate.
