Mulline Single Vineyard Sutherlands Creek Chardonnay 2023

Product Information: This is really good, 97 Points good. Vivacious aromas and flavours of grapefruit pith, just-ripe white peach, orchard flowers, slatey minerality. From the ‘Best Value Winery’ according to Halliday Wine Companion 2025, Chardonnay doesn’t get much better than this. 100% Chardonnay from Clones P58. This comes from the Moorabool Valley, Geelong from three vineyards – Strathmore Vineyard, Muhlebach Road, Sutherlands Creek that were planted 1998. Vines grow on predominantly on grey and brown loams and clay loams, with fragmented Granite. It receives 25% new French Oak and undergoes a natural ferment. For maturation is rests on full lees solids for about 8 months in barrel. Maker: The sum of each part is greater. The name Mulline is a blend name from two Bens, Ben Mullen + Ben Hine. Their focus is producing premium wines out of Geelong. Ben Mullen makes the wines. After deciding wine was more fun that marketing, he switched from business and marketing to Viticulture and Oenology at Adelaide University. Armed with a degree, he set off on a whirlwind journey making wine all over the globe. Of note, Ben has worked at Torbreck (Barossa Valley, South Australia), Yarra Yering (Yarra Valley, Victoria), Oakridge (Yarra Valley, Victoria), Domaine Dujac (Burgundy, France), Craggy Range (Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand) and Clyde Park (Bannockburn, Geelong, Victoria). With this start studded background, it wasn’t long before Ben Mullen decided to spread his wings and make wine under his own label. Ben Mullen is the Winemaker at Mulline Vintners. Ben Hine moves the wines. Also born in South Australia, Hine began his working career in hospitality. His passion for food, wine and hospitality has endured since. After finishing study, Ben Hine has worked in law and is now a senior lawyer working in the financial services and risk industry. With that background, he has a head for business and knows a thing or two about drinking wine. Ben Hine is the As the Business Manager at Mulline Vintners. Halliday notes,”Mulline is a winery built to last.” Their dedication to environmentally friendly practices is indicative of their long foresight, and one of the many reasons they were voted top 100 Wineries of 2023. Mulline adopts environmentally friendly practices wherever possible, in their own vineyard they use as few non-organic materials as possible to maximise microbial activity and soil health, and investing in best-in-class fuel efficient vehicles. Partnering with growers who share our viticulture philosophy. Using screwcap closures which have significantly less spoilage than traditional cork and can be recycled through most kerbside recycling systems. Using locally produced, lightweight glass bottles which use less raw materials and require substantially less energy throughout their lifecycle to the point of recycling. Not limited to this and ever improving. They are an assuring presence in the industry. Making good wines the right way, and not at the expense of the planet. Together ‘Mulline’s’ mission is to craft exceptional structural wines that capture the unique character and freshness of the Geelong Region, both from single sites and broader regional blends. By experimenting with various grape varieties and winemaking styles, Mulline highlights the region’s unique microclimates, soil compositions, and seasonal variations through its Single Vineyard wines. The Geelong Region range features expertly blended fruit from multiple sites, deftly crafted by Ben Mullen to showcase the finest expressions of each variety and the essence of each vintage in the Geelong Region. The Vineyards: Since its inception, Mulline has collaborated with local growers and sourced fruit across the region, aiming to create remarkable cool climate wines that enhance appreciation for Geelong’s distinctive subregions: Moorabool Valley, Bellarine Peninsula, and Surf Coast. Moorabool Valley, between Geelong and Ballarat. The climate is mediterranean and the warmest and driest of the three subregions. There are two vineyard sources, Sutherlands Creek (Pettaval Vineyard) on grey and brown loams and clay loams with granite, planted 1988 to 1998. Low planted, close (1 metre) rows in the French style. Bannockburn (Bannockburn Vineyards) consists of limestone clay with a very shallow topsoil horizon, planted 1990 to 1996. A landmark vineyard. Bellarine Peninsula South-west of Melbourne surrounded by Port Phillip, Corio Bay and Bass Strait. Maritime climate with views of the You Yangs and Melbourne CBD. Two sources of fruit here, the first is Portarlington (Nurringa Park Vineyard) which is leased by Mulline. Here there is sandy loam with dark clay over iron stone, planted 1994. Gentle slopes, close planted with uninterrupted coastal breeze. Then there’s Drysdale (Leech Vineyard) on grey sandy loam over yellow light