2025 Mulline Pinot Gris, Geelong

20% was crushed and fermented on skins for seven days. A pale, bright salmon colour. Beautifully poised with its aromas of redcurrant, nectarine, pear and blood orange. Even better on the palate, where the flavours and texture are perfectly balanced by subtle time-on-skins tannins, before finishing orange-pithy and long. Should age nicely, too. Excellent.

96+ points Special Value Philip Rich winecompanion.com.au

Mulline Pinot Gris comes from the cool maritime edge of Geelong, where Port Phillip Bay breezes keep things fresh and the soils tell their own quiet story. This is very much a place driven wine. Clay and limestone sit beneath the vines, giving natural tension and savoury depth rather than simple fruitiness. Geelong has a long viticultural history going back to the 1840s, but it is producers like Mulline who have helped redefine the region as a serious source of characterful modern wines.

Mulline is a small, thoughtful operation led by winemaker Ben Mullen, who is deeply hands on in both vineyard and cellar. His approach with Pinot Gris leans toward texture and interest rather than overt sweetness. Picked to retain natural acidity, the fruit is handled gently, with a portion often seeing time on skins or solids to build mouthfeel while staying clean and precise. It is Pinot Gris with intent rather than a simple quaffer.

In the glass, this shows pear skin, nashi pear and white peach, with hints of almond meal and a faint savoury edge that nods to the limestone beneath. There is a subtle grip through the mid palate, more Alsatian in spirit than the blander commercial styles, finishing dry and refreshing with a gentle phenolic chew.

This is a brilliant food wine. Think grilled calamari with lemon and olive oil, pork schnitzel, roast chicken with herbs, or even mushroom risotto where the wine’s texture really comes into play. It also works beautifully with Asian inspired dishes where spice is gentle rather than fiery.

While drinking beautifully now, Mulline Pinot Gris can comfortably cellar for three to five years, gaining more savoury complexity over time. It is a great example of how Geelong excels with aromatic varieties when they are treated with restraint and respect for terroir.