{"product_id":"leeu-passant-western-cape-dry-red-wine-2019","title":"Leeu Passant Western Cape Dry Red Wine 2019","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRE-ARRIVAL ETA LATE SEPTEMPER 2026\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Cabernet Franc \u0026amp; 14% Cinsault\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Cabernet Sauvignon is from a 40 year old dry-farmed bush vine vineyard planted on a granitic Polkadraai site\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Cabernet Franc is from mid-slopes of the iron and sandstone soils of the Helderberg Mountain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Cinsault is from South Africa’s two oldest registered red wine vineyards. One site is on deep sandy alluvial soils in Wellington, planted in 1900. The other parcel is from dry-farmed bush vine on the richer, lower eastern colluvial slops of the Franschhoek mountains, planted in 1932\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHand harvested\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc were destemmed, while the Cinsaults were left 100% of their stems intact\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFermented with indigenous yeasts with a combination of gentle punch downs and pump overs, with a 7-18 day fermentation\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExtended maceration for 3-4 weeks, the pressed to barrel\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAged for 12 months in 500L French oak barrels, 30% new, then blended into seasoned 2000L Foudre for a further 8 months\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e95 points Tim Atkin\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSourced from historic old-vine parcels across the region—including Cabernet Sauvignon from Stellenbosch and ancient Cinsault vines from Wellington (including South Africa's oldest registered red wine vineyard)—this vintage was crafted using 50% whole clusters, indigenous yeasts, and minimal sulfur before spending 16 months in 500L French oak barrels (30% new). The wine is beautifully scented and aromatic, leading with notes of florals and fresh herbs. On the palate, it is racy and fine-grained, featuring an attractive ashy dryness, vibrant citrus\/orange-like acidity, and lively, firm fruit balanced by an elegant steely austerity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e93 points Vinous Media\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDrinking window:\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e2024\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e-\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e2040\u003cbr\u003eThe 2019 Dry Red is a heritage blend of bush vine Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Cinsault (the latter used to be planted on the fringe of the Cabernet parcels). This has an attractive nose with brambly red fruit, dried earth, tobacco and rose petal scents. The palate is medium-bodied with fine definition and a little more cohesion than previous vintages with a harmonious, tobacco and white pepper infused finish. Very fine.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe indefatigable Andrea Mullineux guided me through her latest releases at Roundstone, their farm in Swartland. (If you are eager to read notes on back vintages, verticals of their red blends will be published in due course.) Mullineux farms her vines organically, or they are under conversion, including their entry-level Kloof Street in future vintages, though that will not be stated on the label. First, I asked her about the 2021 vintage. “It was a late start of spring,” she tells me. “It was cold but relatively dry until the end of July and August. August and September saw a bit of rain that led to later budding. There was consistent rain between sunny periods in September, so the vines had large canopies that acted as solar panels, therefore everyone had to be careful with canopy management. It was relatively cold up until Christmas. On January 1 we had the first of several heat waves - not long extended ones - more like waves of heat spikes. There were a lot of grapes, but nothing was going through véraison, that ended up three weeks later than normal for earlier ripening varieties like Chenin Blanc and Syrah, whereas later varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay were about on time. You had to make sure you did not miss the right moment to pick whilst keeping in mind not being trigger happy, just because harvest is later, the Syrah by three weeks. This created a concertina affect: all the whites coming in, a short pause and then all the reds. It’s quite a textural vintage with deep colours. On the second day of maceration, there was full colour extraction. The 2020 was a classic vintage with a greater number of warmer days than 2021. There was no picking pressure. We picked the Syrah over 14 days instead of the usual 10 as there was less disease pressure. We had no idea about the lockdown, but we had an amazing team in the winery. There was a natural phenolic ripeness.”\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eTasting through Mullineux Family Wines and their Leeu Passant project in Franschhoek, unsurprisingly, I found a very consistent set of wines that are evolving more individuality. Indeed, I commented to Mullineux that I cannot remember a vintage where there are such distinguishable differences between the Iron, Schist and Granite cuvées. In that respect, the 2020 Schist Syrah is a knockout, one of the finest I have tasted from Mullineux at this stage. Their Kloof Street remains a supremely affordable entry-point for many, whilst their two sweet wines, their straw wine and the third iteration of their solera – Olerasay – are ridiculously good, the latter flirting with perfection.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Western Cape","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44246528098438,"sku":"AVG-Passant-DryRedWine","price":114.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0075\/0338\/0543\/files\/PassantDryRed.png?v=1786716906","url":"https:\/\/www.winesolutions.com\/products\/leeu-passant-western-cape-dry-red-wine-2019","provider":"Wine Solutions","version":"1.0","type":"link"}