CULLEN 'DIANA MADELINE' WILYABRUP CABERNET SAUVIGNON/MERLOT 2020
| Grape: | 92% Cabernet Sauvignon 4% Merlot 3% Cabernet Franc 1% Malbec |
| Vineyard: | Cullen |
| Origin: | Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia |
| Vintage: | 2020 |
| ABV%: | 13% |
| Colour: | Garnet in colour with youthful ruby-purple hues. |
| Aromas: | Deeply perfumed on the nose with sumptuous aromas of mulberry, chocolate, wild rose, and salty plum. |
| Flavours: | Both light and intense on the palate, with a juicy fruit core of mulberry, plum and cherry. This unctuous fruit is framed by fine grained tannins and Wilyabrup earth, ironstone, and dust, which expresses the heat of the vintage and complements the concentration of the fruit. |
Cullen Wines is a certified biodynamic, carbon neutral and naturally powered estate, with their philosophy summed up in three simple words; ‘Quality, Integrity and Sustainability’. It is one of the oldest and most awarded family wineries in Wilyabrup, in
Western Australia’s famous Margaret River region. First established in 1971 by Dr Kevin and Diana Cullen and now run by their daughter Vanya, the winery has built an outstanding reputation for fine certified biodynamic wines that receive critical national and international acclaim. In 2019, celebrating 30 years at the helm, Vanya received double Winemaker of the Year honours at both the Australian Women in Wine Awards and the Halliday Wine Companion Awards.
Vineyard
Located in Wilyabrup, 20 kilometres north of Margaret River township, the soils at the Cullen vineyard are old granite and gravelly, sandy loam, overlaying lateric subsoils. Planted in 1971, the Cabernet Sauvignon comprises 11.33 hectares, while the Merlot was planted in 1976 and covers 1.76 hectares. The conversion to biodynamic viticulture is believed to have produced better fruit, the character of which is preserved during the
winemaking process.
2020 Vintage
The 2020 vintage was defined by dry conditions from the onset of budburst through to harvest. Lower than average rainfall in 2019 paired with hot and dry weather in January, February and March made for almost drought-like conditions. Harvest took place from
8th February until 10th March. Bunch numbers were about average, but low berry weights produced very low yields. The resulting wines were balanced with excellent fruit purity, a vintage similar to 2003 in style.
Winemakers Highlights
The grapes were hand picked and carefully sorted. Each variety was fermented separately with indigenous yeasts. Fermentation time ranged from 10 - 29 days, before the wine was gently basket-pressed to barrel. It matured for 13 months in French oak, of which 50% was new, in a mixture of barriques and puncheons, with some biodynamic oak used.