Mulderbosch

In 1989 Larry Jacobs gave up a career in medicine and bought a farm in the Stellenbosch hills that the locals referred to as “vuilplasie”, which is Afrikaans for “dirty little farm”; this gives you some idea of the state it was in! Not long afterwards Larry partnered with Mike Dobrovic, who was known as the South African Mr. Sauvignon Blanc. Together they straightened out the property, planted the first vineyards and founded Mulderbosch, which would turn into a world-class winery and an international brand. From inception they pushed the frontiers of viticulture and winemaking, crafting the first barrel fermented Chenin Blanc in South Africa. Their varietal rosé, released in 1999, was also one of the first of its kind in the country, coming from a vineyard planted with Cabernet Sauvignon specially planted for the production of rosé wine. This was rather revolutionary at a time when most rosés were a bi-product of red wine making. Dobrovic also designed Mulderbosch's distinctive labels, taking inspiration from a Cuban cigar band for their iconic bottles. In 1996 Larry sold Mulderbosch to Hydro Holdings, who sold it on to the present owner Ben Trutter in 2010. The grapes for the Mulderbosch wines are sourced from their own 21 hectares of vineyards in Stellenbosch and nearby coastal sites, and 10 other blocks farmed by local growers in Stellenbosch, and 2 from the coastal regions of Darling and Philadelphia. Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Malbec are cultivated, and the soil composition from each vineyard site dictates the winemaking process to achieve the best possible expression of the varietals. Mulderbosch continually strive to preserve their natural environment and are a member of the Biodiversity and Wine initiative. Mulderbosch are recognised as one of the best producers in South Africa for their premium, idiosyncratic wines, representative of the soils and climate in which the grapes are grown. These are innovative, extraordinary wines that can be enjoyed upon release but will also mature for a further 10-15 years if carefully cellared.