Fourth Wave Wine has launched Mullet, Australia’s first brand specialising in “hard wines” featuring an ABV ranging between 13.5% and 17%.
The range includes seven wines: Hard Sparkly, Hard Moscato, Hard Chardy, Hard Gris, Hard Pinot, Hard Shiraz and Hard Cab Sav.
Utilising big, ripe grapes sourced from leading South Australian and Victorian wine regions, Mullet wines are drafted by two of Australia’s most accomplished winemakers, Nicholas Crampton and Corey Ryan.
The wines are designed to deliver a mega mouthfeel up front with a bigger body and super long finish, just like their namesake.
Crampton said: “Unlike traditional, ‘family dinner’ wines, Mullet is where the tradition ends and disruption begins. With bigger, riper grapes, purposely handpicked to craft unashamedly substantial flavours, Mullet combines its counterculture motto with traditional winemaking practices to reassure our consumers of the wine’s quality.
“Bottled with minimal fuss and minimal handling, all of our drops are delicious as soon as you open the bottle and ready for those keen to give them a go.”
Marshall added: “We are thrilled to introduce the first hard wine brand to the Australian market. Mullet speaks deliberately non-wine language in tone of voice and look and feel. It is anti-sophisticated, anti-conventional. It is bold, brave, fun, and laden with satirical humour and attitude. Like the hairstyle, Mullet is not for everyone.”
Mullet’s creation was influenced by research such as The 2023 Alcohol and Beverage Consumer Trends Report that revealed while traditional wine consumption is declining among Gen Z and Millennial consumers, there is a growing demand for innovative drinks and craft styles.
A recent Mintel survey also showed that 60% of this demographic favours bold, adventurous flavours over traditional options.
Fourth Wave Wine Managing Director Ross Marshall said: “When you think of wine, you think of words like ‘elegant, terroir, sophisticated’, but as the wine industry tries to find new ways to attract and recruit modern consumers, you need to think differently and look at how other categories engage them, so we took inspiration from the rise of ‘hardy style’ as a feature in the seltzer and spirits category.
“It felt right to do something left of centre and tap into the hard niche market, which is all about bolder flavours, to capture the consumer’s attention and deliver a unique experience.”
The hard wine range is available from Dan Murphy’s and independent retailers nationally at an RRP of $13.99.