2018 Cullen Diana Madeline Cabernet & 2018 Kevin John Chardonnay
Cullen Wines is arguably one of the most well know and highly regarded Cabernet producers in Western Australia if not the country. Vanya Cullen has established one of Australia’s first fully organic and Biodynamic wineries, to such a degree that she is unofficially considered Australia’s spokesperson on the topic today. Cullen went fully Organic in 1998, and then another step further to fully Biodynamic in 2004.
Let’s not forget that Cullen Diana is the 7th Most Collected Wine in the country, in Wine Arks recent Australia’s Most Collected Wine 2019.
Today sees the release of the 2018 Cullen Diana Madeline and the 2018 Cullen Kevin John Chardonnay. Yes, the Chardonnay has a new early release date! Over the past few years, I have seen myself gravitating towards the Kevin John as my premium WA Chardonnay fix. Pleased to say reviewers agree.
2018 Cullen Diana Madeline Cabernet
2013 Cullen Diana Madeline Cabernet Magnums
Old vine Cabernet Sauvignon (8 different clones), planted in 1971, make up the Diana Madeline. 2018 produced small yields creating a natural wine with elegance, balance and power. Fermented naturally without yeast and with no adjustment to flavour. The wine then spent 14-27 days on skins before being gently basket pressed to barrel. The varietal blend is 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 5% Malbec. The wine was aged in 80% biodynamic barrels of which 50% were new. The wine will age for decades! No reviews of yet but the 2017 received 98 from Halliday and 96 from Gary Walsh.
I also have access to a small number of 2013 Cullen Diana Madeline Cabernet Magnums – 96 points Campbell Mattinson & 96 Huon Hooke
2018 Cullen Kevin John Chardonnay
2016 Cullen Kevin John Chardonnay Magnum
The flagship Chardonnay from the Cullen stable and very quickly gaining the reputation as one of the regions best Chardonnays. Let’s look at last years ratings… 97 Halliday, 97 James Suckling, 96 Mike Bennie… These numbers are almost identical for the past three vintages, so I would be expecting more or if not the same this year.
Sourced from old chardonnay vines planted in 1976-1988 from the Gin Gin Clone. This clone produces tiny yields of the best quality fruit. The 2018 vintage got 2.75 tonnes per hectare, all certified biodynamic and carbon negative.
The bunches were hand-harvested, whole bunch pressed and the juice racked to barrel. A parcel of fruit was fermented in concrete egg before ageing in puncheons. Of the remaining juice, 70% was fermented in puncheons and 30% in barriques, with 50% new oak. After 100% natural malolactic fermentation it spent a total of 6 months in barrel. The wine has had minimal bentonite fining and no filtering or cold stabilization.
One bottle not enough? I’ve also nabbed the last 4 magnums of the 2016 Cullen Kevin John Chardonnay. 96 Points Campbell Mattinson, 96 Points James Halliday. First in best dressed.
If you are interested in any of the above please hit us up via our Contact Us Page. If you would like to see what back vintage Cullen wines we have for sale please click here.
