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Leeu Passant Wines, Honouring Cape Fine Wine Heritage
Winemaking duo Chris and Andrea Mullineux together with partner Analjit Singh are announcing the release of a new flagship portfolio of wines called Leeu Passant – fine wines inspired by the distinct culture, terroir, history and tastes of the Cape.The name Leeu Passant is derived from heraldry, where a “Lion Passant” is a walking lion.
These multi-regional wines made mainly from old vineyards, are carefully crafted at the Leeu Passant cellar of Mullineux & Leeu Family Wines, based on Leeu Estates in Franschhoek.
"For many years, our viticulturist Rosa Kruger had been enthusing about special parcels of vines outside the Swartland," say Chris and Andrea. "But we couldn’t use these as our Mullineux and Kloof Street wines are exclusively from Swartland vineyards. Leeu Passant was a fantastic opportunity to harness these exciting vineyards to create a new top class winery in a different region.”
The Leeu Passant wines celebrate the rich history of South African wine. Using the Cape’s wine heritage dating back to the 17th Century as inspiration, they decided to deconstruct the venerable Cape wines of the 1950’s, 1960’s and 1970’s, retain their best component parts, and then reconstruct them in a modern, minimalist way, whilst at the same time respecting tradition.
The wines highlight how South African vineyards can make authentic, classic, and age worthy wines, which Chris and Andrea are excited to honour with their own modern interpretation, incorporating several very special and old vineyards.
According to Analjit Singh, the Leeu Passant wines are a meeting of minds.“They are a culmination of a shared vision, attention to detail, passion, and uncompromisingly high standards.They embody the no-compromise approach to quality that I share with Chris and Andrea.”
Three wines will be launched on the 3rd April, 2017. The 2015 Leeu Passant Dry Red Wine is a Cape Heritage inspired blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Cinsault.There are also two Chardonnays, the 2015 Leeu Passant Stellenbosch Chardonnay and 2015 Leeu Passant Elandskloof Chardonnay.
The 2015 Leeu Passant Dry Red Wine is beautifully refined with notes of bergamot and a dark violet fragrance. The palate is structured, with fine chalky tannins, hints of spices and herbs, and fresh dark fruits.
The classy 2015 Leeu Passant Stellenbosch Chardonnay has flint, citrus blossom and salinity on the nose.The palate is packed with lime zest and crushed shells and has a textured, vibrant and long finish.
The 2015 Leeu Passant Elandskloof Chardonnay has a nose of stone fruit and lemon biscuits. The palate has a creamy, limey, citrus character with exotic spice notes and is full but balanced by a fresh, tight finish.
The Leeu Passant range will be available to taste at The Wine Studio at Leeu Estates in Franschhoek and for sale while stocks last. The 2015 Leeu Passant Dry Red cellar price is ZAR 975 per bottle, while both the 2015 Leeu Passant Stellenbosch Chardonnay and the 2015 Leeu Passant Elandskloof Chardonnay are ZAR 625 per bottle. A few magnums of these wines have been produced, presented in a branded wooden box, at ZAR 2075 for the Dry Red and ZAR 1 375 for the Chardonnays.
For more information, visit https://mlfwines.com/leeupassant/ or contact Nicola Tipping (Sales & Marketing Director) on +27 83 518 4185 or nicola@mlfwines.com