Today it is my pleasure to introduce an electric new wine brand, founded by Sarah Marquis’s kids, Luke and Holly Marquis (Blue Eyed Boy and Gigglepot of Mollydooker). Don’t Tell Mum is a no-nonsense wine brand out of McLaren Vale. Their website is a really engaging visit and includes everything from ‘Don’t Tell Mum’ stories to a great blog with special cocktails that you can make with their wines. Some of the stories posted on the website are exceedingly funny and are a terrific read. There is even a party playlist and a confessions board (https://donttellmumwines.com/cool-sht/confessions-board/) to post your own ‘Don’t Tell Mum’ story! These are also wines made for a cause as 10% of the profits are donated directly back to revegetation projects in McLaren Vale.

This brand is really interesting because it appears to the younger generation in creating no-nonsense wines that are well-priced and also can be used in cocktails. It is a totally outside the box brand. It is well-known that the generation age 20-29 are a big fan of cocktails and also non/low-alcoholic cocktails and drinks.

I am not a wine cocktail kind of guy generally, but I had to try this a go. I do enjoy Elderflower Liquor in my drinks, but I definitely had never tried a wine cocktail with it. The floral aspect of the liquor really lifted things. And the drink comes with black cherry seltzer which is a perfect foil for the shiraz, obviously due to the black fruit backbone.

Here is the original recipe for the ‘I Popped My Cherry’ cocktail (https://donttellmumwines.com/recipes/cherry-cocktail/):

90ml Shiraz
45ml Elderflower Liqueur
15ml Chambord
60ml Black Cherry seltzer
15ml Lemon juice
Giant ice cubes (I would not use crushed ice)
Fresh berries to top

This is not a wine-focused cocktail as there was really nice balance especially from the black cherry seltzer and herbal/floral elements from the liquor. I prefer the cocktail without the berries and slightly more lemon juice. The lemon adds the acid backbone to the cocktail. I added a sprig of rosemary for a light herbal edge. This is a way that they are making wine fun for the consumer and especially younger consumers. Here is what the cocktail looks like: https://donttellmumwines.com/recipes/cherry-cocktail/

There is a lot on the blog including food and wine pairings like this veggie bolognese recipe (https://donttellmumwines.com/recipes/veggie-bolognese-wine-in-it-wine-out-of-it/). There is also a great grilled cheese and sparkling pairing (https://donttellmumwines.com/recipes/113/). I am definitely gonna make this grilled cheese in the future.

They have crafted a really good sparking wine from Shiraz which was really easy to enjoy. This is a viscous style of sparkling wine as the 2024 Don’t Tell Mum Sparkling Wine (OB, 90) is remarkably complex and delicious to savor now. Because it is viscous the sparkling wine is best served very cold. Learn more at https://donttellmumwines.com/ and here are my reviews of the new wines by Don’t Tell Mum.

2024 Don’t Tell Mum Sparkling Wine- A sparkling red wine, this 2024 is a refreshing, complex quaff. Red currants parade with Welches grape juice and shades of tar and milk chocolate on the palate. Effervescent and fresh, enjoy now. Drink 2025-2030- 90

2024 Don’t Tell Mum Shiraz- Smooth and delicious throughout the drinking experience, the 2024 Don’t Tell Mum Shiraz offers straightforward black and red fruits alongside bay leaf and coffee ground accents on the palate. Drink 2025-2030- 90