x
  • Country ranking ?

    40
  • Producer ranking ?

    2
  • Decanting time

    2h
  • When to drink

    now to 2035

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James Halliday – 2018 Halliday Wine Companion, August 3 2017

87% cabernet sauvignon, 11% merlot, 1% each of malbec and cabernet franc, from the Cullen Vineyard; matured for 17 months in French barriques (66% new). It is inappropriate to use the word ‘elegant’ in describing the wine, simply because it is on another, higher level, making the word hackneyed in this instance. The fragrant bouquet, the silky palate and perfectly shaped tannins of the finish are unique to this wine. Screwcap. 13% alc. Rating 98 To 2040 

 

Ray Jordan – The West Australian, Saturday May 27th.

This is predominantly cabernet with about 11 per cent merlot and tiny amounts of malbec and cabernet franc. I don’t think I have tasted a more elegant and refined Diana Madeline than this one. It is a stunning expression of all that is superb about Margaret River and the Cullen vineyard. A leafy tobacco and dark fruit combo on the nose. But it is the palate that sets it apart. Chalky tannins, fine-grained oak and such gloriously expressive fruit. One of the very finest Diana Madelines I have tasted. 98/100.

 

 

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The Story

Vanya Cullen has taken her cabernet merlot into the top echelon of Australian Cabernet through dogged determination, curiosity and superb technical skills. The exemplary vineyard site is planted on ancient granitic soils in the central Willyabrup sub-region of Margaret River. Cullen has adopted the principles of biodynamic viticulture to “achieve greater individuality of site through working with nature rather than against it”. This estate style is about freshness and complexity, structure and suppleness. The wines have pronounced cassis and cedar aromas with fine beautifully ripe tannins. Earthy, anise, gamy aromas and flavours develop with age. Diane Madeline Cabernet Merlot is named in memory of Di Cullen who established the winery and vineyard with her husband in 1966 and is pure bottled philosophy.

Top Vintages  2010, 2008, 2004, 2002, 2001,1999,1998,1997,1996,1995,1994

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Wine Information

2015 Vintage Report / Strikingly similar harvest to 2014 in terms of weather and yields. Similar rainfall, dry from October to March. One difference was the Marri blossom which did not flower until after harvest, this created a lot of bird pressure.

The time of harvest was almost identical to 2014, however the wine styles are different. 2015 wines are characterised by lots of perfume, purity and great elegance whereas the 2014 wines are about fruit power and purity.
2015 had some hot days, cool nights, a small amount of rain, and although the yields were low it has produced outstanding wines. Harvest finished on the 11th of March.

 

The growing season for 2015 Diana Madeline was favourable with good spring rains and a warm, dry ripening period. Low yields of 2.47 tons per hectare produced a concentrated elegant wine, bright in colour, pure in fruit flavour concentration, with the classic Cullen Vineyard Wilyabrup cassis, violets, chocolate and ironstone.
It is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 1% Malbec and 1% Cabernet Franc. 100% from the Cullen Vineyard. The primary fermentation took an average 12 days. Skin contact time average of 22 days

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Latest Pro-tasting notes

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Written Notes

Brilliant! A Margaret River stunner. A classic Cabernet-based wine. Blackcurrants, cloves, leather, dark chocolate. Real depth, ripe yet balanced and perfectly structured. Has extraordinary length. Very fine, silky tannins. Supple and seamless and already exhibiting plenty of complexity. What a great wine. Lives up to its reputation as one of Australia's greatest. If you do not love this, you are wasting your time with Cabernet. 

Score: 98/100

Best drinking: 30 years if well cellared. 

Alc: 13%

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Information

Origin

Margaret River, Margaret River

Inside Information

Colour: Deep crimson hues with magenta edges.
Bouquet: Fantastic complexity and vitality with layers of well ripened dark fruits enhanced by gorgeous leafy notes.
Palate: Structured and fruit driven, the palate delivers blackcurrant fruit and lovely spicy nuances supported by fine grained tannins. There is a brilliant touch of bitterness melting into the fruit. A wine to watch as it unfolds and evolves over the next decades.
Cellar: 30 plus years.

Winemaking Notes

Vineyard: 100% Cullen Vineyard.
Varieties: 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 1% Malbec, 1% Cabernet Franc.
Harvest: 24th February to 7th March 2015.
Oak: Aged for 17 months in barriques of which 66% were new.
Alcohol: 13%

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