Mulderbosch Sees Rosé Drive Torrid Growth, Unveils Single-Vineyard Chenin Blancs

South Africa’s Mulderbosch, part of the Terroir Capital portfolio led by former Screaming Eagle co-owner Charles Banks, has seen growth ramp up of late, driven by a significant expansion of its rosé of Cabernet Sauvignon. Last year, Mulderbosch was at around 30,000 cases in the U.S. This year, the rosé alone will approach that mark, with total brand volume forecast at roughly 60,000 cases.

“The rosé has really taken off, especially in New York,” says Mulderbosch winemaker Adam Mason. “You’re starting to see it everywhere.” The winery’s rosé ($12 a 750-ml.) is differentiated by its use of Cabernet rather than more traditional rosé varietals like Syrah and Grenache, and also by its relatively darker color than most offerings in the U.S. market’s high-flying rosé segment. In addition, the Mulderbosch stable includes a Chenin Blanc ($13-$14), Sauvignon Blanc ($17) and a Bordeaux blend, the Faithful Hound ($25).

While the rosé is currently driving volume, Mason believes South African winemakers should rally around Chenin Blanc as a core varietal and introduce U.S. consumers to the various expressions the grape has to offer. Toward that end, Mulderbosch has just released a trio of single-vineyard Chenin Blancs, sourced from three different Stellenbosch sites. Those wines—A Block (Eikenhof), S2 Block (Sonop) and W Block (Rustenhof)—are in extremely limited production (about 300 cases for the first vintage) and retail at around $33 a bottle. Mason says Mulderbosch plans to continue producing the single-vineyard Chenins on an annual basis looking ahead, and has the ability to increase output if they gain popularity.

Tagged : Mulderbosch Vineyards, South Africa, wine

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