Mulline (which rhymes with ‘divine’) was established by the ‘two Bens’, winemaker Ben Mullen and business manager Ben Hine, in 2018. Portarlington Pinot Noir imparts perfumes of red berries and pleasing herb aromas. The whole bunches are evident with a herbal character melded with red cherries, cranberry and brambly fruits finishing with soft, fine tannins and a lovely texture.
Hand-picked fruit, 30% whole bunches, open ferment with wild yeasts; matured 8 months in (20% new) French oak. Tasted before release and while tight as a drum and a little unforgiving, it remained a most interesting savoury, young pinot. Its future trajectory will undoubtedly bring the sour cherry, rhubarb, earth, humus and dried herbal characters to the fore, all the while retaining that focused tannin structure.
90 points, Wine Companion (January 2022)
Victoria’s first commercial wine was produced in Geelong by Swiss immigrants in 1845. During the mid- 1800’s Geelong was the largest grape-growing region in Victoria with 400 hectares under vine. When phylloxera struck in the 1870s however, the vines were decimated and it was not until the late 1960’s that the area’s vineyards were re-established. Located about 80 km southwest of Melbourne, Geelong has a cool maritime climate with low rainfall and prevalent cool blustery winds that affect flowering and Franceuit set. Soils are diverse, mostly volcanic over limestone with some lesser quality black soils. The region is dotted primarily with family owned wineries producing small quantities of high quality Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Shiraz & Cabernet Sauvignon.
