Fourth Wave Wine launches Australia’s first hard wine brand

Fourth Wave Wine, the company responsible for iconic wine brands such as Tread Softly, Little Giant, and Elephant in the Room, has launched Mullet, the first Australian brand to specialise in hard wines.

Included in the release are seven higher-abv wines made from extra ripe grapes, resulting in wines that deliver an initial rich mouthfeel and a long, lingering finish. This ranges from a Moscato with a 13.5% abv to a Shiraz with an abv of 17%.

“Mullet speaks deliberately non-wine language in tone of voice and look and feel. It is anti-sophisticated, anti-conventional,” said Ross Marshall, Managing Director.

“It is bold, brave, fun, and laden with satirical humour and attitude. Like the hairstyle, Mullet is not for everyone.”

The launch of Mullet follows on from the 2023 Alcohol and Beverage Consumer Trends Report which highlighted a growing demand for innovative drinks and craft styles among Millennials and legal drinking aged Gen Z in spite of declining consumption of traditional wine.

Additional, a survey conducted by Mintel showed that 60% of this demographic favours bold,

adventurous flavours over traditional options.

“Mullet combines its counterculture motto with traditional winemaking practices to reassure our consumers of the wine’s quality,” said Nicholas Crampton, Co-Owner.

“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.”

Drinks Trade recently caught up with Nicholas Crampton to discuss Fourth Wave Wine’s approach to building new wine brands.

“It's always the idea first: one of the great strengths of not owning is you're not being pressured to sell what you've got,” he said.

“Obviously, most people start in a time honoured fashion where you start with a vineyard and then you get working on how to sell it. We very much work out what consumers are looking for, and then go and source wine or have more wine made for us to meet what that consumer’s looking for. That gives us massive flexibility.”

The Mullet range is available now from select retailers nationwide at an RRP of $13.99.

Fourth Wave Wine described the seven releases as follows:

Mullet Hard Shiraz | ABV: 17%
Big, bold, red berry fruit flavours go into turbo drive with dark chocolate and cedarwood in support. The Mullet Hard Shiraz is a big, delicious and mouth-filling red wine that is unashamedly big on flavour upon opening. Bi g and delicious, it’s ready to go.

Mullet Cabernet Sauvignon | ABV: 16%
Bold aromas of blackcurrant fruit with black plum and woody spice. This has the hallmark of riper Cabernet wines, being bold in the beginning and bold to the end. Mouth-filling flavours of mixed berry fruit and cassis. This is flavoursome, fresh, long and built for pure enjoyment

Mullet Pinot Noir | ABV: 15%
Ripe blood plum, blackberry and brown spice fill the space instantly upon opening. This is a super-fragrant wine with incredible fruit power for a Pinot Noir. Round, supple and mouth-filling, this is so slippery and easy to like and drink. Don’t hold on, this is ready to go.

Mullet Pinot Gris | ABV: 15%
Bold fruit flavours of ripe apple, pear, lemon rind and white flowers leap forward. This is such a flavour-infused wine and so mouth-filling. Big bold fruit carried long by fresh acidity and the higher than usual ABV. Very easy to like and is ready to enjoy at once.

Mullet Hard Sparkly | ABV: 15%
Lifted aromas of ripe pear, yellow peach, preserved lemon, white florals and fresh bread. Wide- spreading fruit flavours drawn long and fresh by big flavours and fresh, crisp acidity. The Mullet Hard Sparkly is delicious upon opening and ready to go.

Mullet Chardonnay | ABV: 15%
Bold ripe stonefruit with light citrus flavours, plus almond, dough and subtle dark spice leap from the glass. These are wide-spreading flavours drawn long and fresh by big fruit and fresh, crisp acidity. The Mullet Chardy is delicious upon opening and ready to go

Mullet Moscato | ABV: 13.5%
Bold and bright aromas of yellow and green tropical fruit with classic pink musk-stick confection. The palate is round and fresh and packed full of tropical flavours. This is a flavour-packed wine that balances perfectly the bold flavours of purposeful ripe fruit with freshness. Big, bold and ready to go.