Cullen Diana Madeline is sourced entirely from the Wilyabrup estate vineyard and stands as one of Australia’s benchmark Cabernet blends. This release combines 92% Cabernet Sauvignon with small portions of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec, capturing both the concentration of the warm vintage and the precision of Cullen’s biodynamic philosophy.
Fermented naturally without additions of yeast, acid or malolactic bacteria, the wine was matured for 13 months in a mix of barriques and puncheons, with 50% new oak including biodynamic oak selections. The result is a wine of remarkable purity, structure and site expression.
Deep garnet with ruby-purple hues, the nose is intensely perfumed and layered, revealing violets, wild rose, mulberry and satsuma plum alongside cigar box, chocolate, iodine and saline plum nuances. The palate is immediately generous and flowing, packed with juicy mulberry, plum and dark cherry fruit, yet framed by exceptionally fine-grained tannins and the unmistakable ironstone and earthy character of Wilyabrup.
Powerful yet poised, the wine balances richness with freshness and mineral detail, carrying immense depth and length. Built for longevity, this is a profound Margaret River Cabernet blend capable of evolving gracefully for decades.
"Has the usual estate blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc and malbec (92/4/3/1%), the grapes hand picked on fruit days between early February and early March, the components matured in French oak (50% new) for 13 months. The perfumed bouquet has already soaked up the new oak, the purity of the fruit in a cassis-redcurrant-blueberry spectrum. The small berries of a quasi-drought summer might have imposed awkward tannins, but the medium-bodied palate is so perfectly balanced it has a drinking span of 30 years and counting. Drink by 2055." James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion - 98 points and Top 100 Wines of 2022 and Special Value Wine
"Dark, deep and a really youthful purple colour in the glass. Lifted and complex aromas of cedar, graphite, blackberry, brambles, violets and a briary underbrush edge. Full, rich, layered and complex, lashings of mulberry and blackcurranty fruit, firm, granular, textured tannins and lively acidity. Just beginning its journey and what a journey it shall be. Drink: 2022-2042." Aaron Brasher, The Real Review - 97 points
