The story of Mulcra Estate begins with Samuel Andriske who was born on the 19th April 1825 in Schmollen, Prussia (now Germany).

Samuel and Anna Andriske, with 11 month old son Johann arrived in Hobson’s Bay, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia in December 1849 aboard the Emmy from Hamburg. They and several families, also from Schmollen, disembarked at Point Henry, Geelong. All were peasant farmers – most of them tenant farmers for many years. Many had lost their farms and were among the great number who left their homeland around that time because of hardship, poverty, wars and religious differences.

The farmers were brought to Australia by the Mayor of Geelong, Dr Thomson, said to be the founder of Geelong. The group travelled by bullock wagon and crossed the Barwon River by raft to an area about four miles south of Geelong. Here they settled on blocks of two acres which were bought at £20.00 per block. The settlement was called Germantown (later changed to Grovedale) where they built their homes of daub and wattle.

Samuel, Anna and the other settlers planted vineyards, cut wood and grew vegetables. The vegetables were taken by wheelbarrow to the market square garden in Geelong. A township grew around the vineyards, market gardens and farms.

Samuel Andriske was listed as a viticulturalist in 1861. With the help of his son Johann, he became a large landholder and was well known for his wines. He had 7.5 acres under vines, the principal varieties being Burgundy and Tokay.

In 1911 Johann’s son Charles embarked on his own vineyard in the rich, red sandy soil of the Murray Darling region of Mildura. This was located in 15th Street Mildura, opposite Bunnings, now a thriving business precinct.

Charles’s son’s, Harold and Henry established their vineyards in 1933 in Belar Avenue, Irymple, Victoria, that they named Mulcra. They supplied wine grapes to the original Chaffey Brothers Winery opposite their vineyards and also grew sultanas which were sold as dried fruit to the local packing sheds.

Today, the tradition of premium grape growing is continued by fifth Australian generation Andriske, Marlene and son Mark, with their wines from Mulcra Estate. All grapevines for their wines are hand pruned, the grapes hand picked, and whole bunch pressed to achieve the finest juice quality. The Mulcra Estate range is then patiently matured in French Oak barrels that can be enjoyed now or cellared for those that have the strength not to consume them now.