As children, everyone carries a secret they don't want their parents to find out. It could be snacks hidden away in secret, or a small, mischievous act from those playful days. Australia's new wine brand Don't Tell Mum started from those prankish memories. With a name that means "a secret from mom," the brand was inspired by the memories of siblings who secretly peeked into their parents' wine cellar when they were young.
Wine is often considered burdensome and complicated. It can feel like you need to know everything from varietals, regions, and vintages to winemaking methods to enjoy it properly, and that the more expensive it is, the more carefully and formally you should drink it. But Don't Tell Mum challenges these fixed ideas and puts forward the essential value of wine—joy shared together.
The brand's founding background also aligns with a generational shift in the global wine industry seeking to capture a new, young consumer base. To understand the brand's roots, you first need to look at Mollydooker, one of Australia's iconic cult wineries. Led by founder Sarah Marquis, Mollydooker won over critics and wine enthusiasts worldwide with its signature full body, intense fruit, and high alcohol, building a singular fandom. It is counted among the key brands that imprinted the Australian Shiraz style on the global market.
As a family's reputation deepens, its halo inevitably becomes a high wall and a task for the next generation to overcome. Siblings Holly and Luke, Sarah's children, decided to walk their own independent path instead of settling into their parents' shadow. They chose to inherit their parents' quality and winemaking philosophy while creating wines in new ways that younger consumers can intuitively relate to. The witty brand name "a secret from mom" is interpreted as encapsulating this meaning.
"When we were young, we spent a lot of time around the vineyards and learned the basics of winemaking. We always knew that a good wine doesn't have to be flashy or overly serious. But for a long time, wine has been treated as something big and intimidating. That's why we started Don't Tell Mum. We wanted to make wine that's easy, fun, and for everyone to enjoy. There are no set rules—just good wine."
They also brought a modern touch to how they communicate with consumers. Along with labels whose popping designs catch the eye, they created a digital channel where consumers can anonymously share secrets or memories they couldn't tell their parents via a QR code attached to the bottle. This is their unique marketing approach that draws wine closer to consumers by tying it not just to a drink but to the play culture of young consumers, bringing it into consolidation with that culture.
The core product, the red wine, is made from 100% Shiraz. The wine is produced in McLaren Vale, one of South Australia's representative wine regions. Located on the Fleurieu Peninsula south of Adelaide, it is counted among the oldest winegrowing areas in Australia. With Gulf St Vincent to the west, it is influenced by a maritime climate, marked by warm days and cool nights. It has the optimal conditions to produce premium Shiraz with bold fruit and deep structure.
In the winemaking process, the freshness of the materials and supplies and precise operations are strictly upheld. Grapes are harvested in the early morning when temperatures are low to preserve acidity and freshness, then moved straight to the winery after harvest and crushed by machine. Yeast is then added to begin fermentation, and during this stage, a period of maceration with the skins extracts rich color and components. Once fermentation is complete, the skins and juice are separated and pressed, followed by stabilization; depending on the wine's style and needs, it then undergoes processes such as oak aging or oxygen contact before final bottling.
Don't Tell Mum McLaren Vale Shiraz opts for a flexible balance tailored to younger tastes instead of the overwhelming heft characteristic of its progenitor, Mollydooker. With a focus on deep fruit aromas of blackberry and cherry layered with dark chocolate and vanilla, its tannins are refined to be softer, delivering comfortable drinkability from the first sip.
They also boldly lowered the barriers to how to drink it. The siblings suggest, "Drink it the way you want." The traditional tasting style that savors the full depth of a single varietal is great, but they also actively encourage chilling the wine and mixing it with soda water or whiskey to enjoy it as a casual wine cocktail. It pairs excellently with everyday dishes such as pasta.
Don't Tell Mum McLaren Vale Shiraz won the grand prize in the New World red wine category at the 2026 Korea Wine & Spirits Awards. The domestic importer is CSR Wine Co., Ltd.