Leeu Passant new releases

Leeu Passant is the ambitious venture from Andrea and Chris Mullineux in collaboration with Analjit Singh, a businessman of Indian origin with various interests including the international boutique hotel group known as the Leeu Collection.

Essentially, it sets out to reimagine the Cape’s vinous heritage. Meticulously sourced vineyards and the precision in production that the Mullineuxs pride themselves on are the hallmarks of this portfolio. Tasting notes and ratings for the new releases as follows:

Chardonnay 2023
Price: R960
Grapes from a Helderberg site. Matured for 12 months in 225-litre barrels, 30% new before a further six months in foudre. Citrus, oatmeal, vanilla, and oak spice shape the nose, while the palate delivers concentrated fruit and big acidity, before a pithy finish. This is an imposing wine – tightly wound and intensely flavored. Alc: 14%.

CE’s rating: 94/100.

Wellington Cinsault 2023
Price: R820
Grapes from a vineyard planted in 1900. 100% whole-bunch fermentation. Matured for 24 months in 500-litre barrels. The aromatics are more restrained than many examples, showing a touch of reduction before revealing plum, prune, earth, and spice. The palate is rich and rounded, with bright acidity and fine yet grippy tannins. A singular expression of the variety. Alc: 14%.

CE’s rating: 93/100.

Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon 2023
Price: R515
Grapes from a Helderberg site. Matured for 12 months in 500-litre barrels, of which 30% were new, before a further 12 months in larger format oak. Red and black berries, noticeable herbal lift, rose, and earth define the nose. The palate is light to medium-bodied, with fresh acidity and fine, powdery tannins. A wine of elegance and persistence. Alc: 14%.

CE’s rating: 93/100.

Leeu Passant 2022
Price: R2,150
47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Cabernet Franc, 16% Cinsault. Maturation as for the Cab above. Beautifully complex aromatics of flowers, herbs, and berries that intertwine and evolve in the glass. The palate showcases pure fruit expression, bright acidity, and super-fine, silky tannins. Medium-bodied but surprisingly deep and layered on the mid-palate —utterly seamless. Alc: 14%.

CE’s rating: 97/100.

Radicales Libres 2019
Price: R960
For the first time, the grapes come from Stellenbosch rather than Barrydale, with maturation spanning 60 months in old barriques. The nose reveals citrus, a hint of nuttiness, and subtle flinty reduction. The palate is defined by extraordinary fruit concentration, punchy acidity, and a deeply savory finish. An arresting wine on account of its linearity and austerity. Alc: 14%.

CE’s rating: 95/100.

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