Cullen releases showcase the impacts of biodynamics

Vanya Cullen and her winemaking team are constantly looking to push the boundaries and explore new iterations of their star wines, using biodynamic principles in the vineyard and the winery.

Two new releases - both made in minuscule quantities - showcase the Cullen Wines commitment to wines that make a statement.

The inaugural release of the Diana Madeline Legacy Series Full Moon MOSH - from the 2023 vintage - honours Diana Madeline Cullen AM, whose passion for Bordeaux blends led her to introduce both merlot and cabernet franc to Margaret River back in 1976.

A blend of 70% cabernet sauvignon and 30% malbec showcases the first pick for both varieties from the Cullen vineyard in 2023, occurring on a full Moon and Moon opposite Saturn harvest in early March.

The fruit was hand-harvested from 52-year-old dry grown cabernet Vines, first planted in 1971. The two grape varieties were co-fermented in stainless steel vats and then matured for 14 months in 33% new barriques.

The other premium release is the 2024 Kevin John Legacy Series Flower Day.

It is a wine deeply rooted in Cullen's passion for biodynamic principles - with the aim of producing wines that embody the influence of the biodynamic calendar.

The 2024 Kevin John Legacy Series Flower Day Chardonnay comes from the earliest vintage on record at Cullen Wines.

Grapes were picked in mid-January from old, dry-grown Gin Gin clone vines. The fruit was basket pressed to a concrete egg for wild fermentation, then matured for six months in a new oak puncheon.

There were zero additions of yeast or acidity, and the wine was bottled without fining or filtration.

Two special wines priced for aficionados. Both have serious presence, intensity and depth of flavour. They retail for $350 each.

# The Margaret River Wine Association has honoured Vanya Cullen (above) with its Lifetime Achievement Award, recognising her contribution to the Margaret River wine industry and her "leadership in sustainability, innovation, and excellence".

Cullen aims to set new international benchmarks in biodynamic viticulture, environmental responsibility, and regenerative farming.

See cullenwines.com.au/.

Cullen Wines shuts down its restaurant

Sad news for Margaret River locals and wine and food-loving locals. 

Cullen Wines has closed its on-site restaurant with immediate effect. 

"While we have loved entertaining our restaurant guests at our beautiful location in our biodynamic vineyard, sustained operational challenges, including difficulty recruiting staff for fine dining service, have led to this decision," Vanya Cullen announced on social media and the winery website. 

"We thank you for your support and are sorry for any inconvenience. 

"At this stage we are still taking inquiries about functions, and in the future, we hope to return with a food offering that reflects the Cullen Wines experience and allows us to showcase our biodynamic wines."

The closure does not impact the cellar door, which remains open seven days a week 10am to 4.30pm. 

Vanya hits the heights with new release

A new vintage of one of Australia’s showcase wines has landed. In minuscule quantities.

The 2023 Vanya Flower Day Cabernet Sauvignon from Cullen Wines is very much a special occasion wine - a flagship for the venerable family-owned Margaret River producer at $900 a bottle.

It's a wine with layers of flavours and textures - and it just flows across the palate.

Vanya Cullen, after whom the wine is named, says 2023 was a "low-yielding vintage which resulted in some stunning grapes and hence quality wine.

"In particular, cabernet sauvignon exhibited the best typicity of varietal manifestation."

I think that means she was happy.

The fruit was sourced from 52-year-old estate vines that consistently produce top-notch fruit.

The details: The grapes were hand harvested on a Flower Day on the biodynamic calendar from dry grown vines.

The fruit was hand sorted, and destemmed before being crushed to 3000-litre terracotta amphorae and left for 27 days. Fermentation was completed with

wild yeast with the juice pressed to biodynamic Flower Day barriques (50% new). The wine was bottled with zero additions of yeast, malolactic culture, acid or fining agents.

It is a marvellously precise and complete wine that you can enjoy now or cellar for several years. 97 points from me. Released on August 24. 

See https://cullenwines.com.au/

A very special wine of which there were only 576 bottles made

It is fair to say that the Cullen Wines 2022 Fruit Day Vanya is not a wine for everyone.

It is an exquisite red wine, full of palate interest, and is an absolute joy to drink, even in its youth. We paired it with steak and kidney casserole with dumplings, a match made in heaven.

The issue for most wine lovers is the $900 a bottle RRP - and the fact that only 576 bottles were made.

With the wine newly released at the Cullen cellar door, restaurant and website and being officially released to distributors on Friday, it will be the quick and the dead.

This gem ticks all the boxes for meticulous biodynamic winemaking - and is named for winemaker and long-time biodynamics advocate Vanya Cullen.

From a very good Margaret River vintage, the estate cabernet sauvignon fruit was harvested in late March "on a fruit day, with, Venus, Mars and Saturn in conjunction".

It was hand-picked, hand sorted and de-stemmed and then crushed to a 300-litre beeswax amphora and fermented with 46 days on skins before being pressed into a new flower day puncheon.

The juice was then matured in the new oak vessel for seven months before bottling on a fruit day.

There are classic vibrant cabernet characteristics; blackcurrant, tobacco leaf, minerality, chocolate and black cherry; a wine that is light-footed with impressive balance.

With a deft combination of intricacy, authenticity and approachability, this glides across the tongue like a vinous luxury yacht. 98 points for me.

See www.cullenwines.com.au 

New premium wine tasting opportunities at Cullen

 

So you are serious about your wine tasting experiences? 

You might be interested in two new offerings at the Cullen Biodynamic Tasting Room in Margaret River. 

Cullen Wines has recently launched new DM O'Clock & KJ O’Clock seated tasting experiences. 

The KJ O'Clock tasting experience will take you on a biodynamic journey tasting of the 2023 Kevin John Chardonnay, 2022 Kevin John Chardonnay, 2022 Kevin John Legacy Flower Day, 2021 Kevin John Chardonnay, the 2021 Kevin John Legacy Fruit Day and the 2020 Kevin John Chardonnay.

The DM O’Clock exclusive Diana Madeline tasting journey features a vertical Diana Madeline tasting featuring 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2016 and 2015 vintages.

 

"These are wine journeys that honour our ancestors and reflect the terroir and their sense of place," says vigneron Vanya Cullen (above).

Tastings come with a complementary small cheese platter and cost $100 per person. Bookings are essential. 

The Biodynamic Wine Room is open seven days from 10am-4.30pm. Phone (08) 9755 5277. 
Cullen Wines is at 4323 Caves Road, Wilyabrup, WA.

See https://www.cullenwines.com.au/ 

Meet wines exploring the essence of the biodynamic calendar

Here is one for the serious wine nerds.

Take two world-class chardonnays from the same vineyard made in almost identical manner.

The only real difference is that one was made from fruit picked on a flower day on the biodynamic calendar, and the other was made fruit picked on a fruit day.

The amazing thing is that the two wines do show distinct differences - and certainly provoke interesting discussion.

The wines in question are the Cullen 2021 Legacy Series Flower Day Kevin John Chardonnay and the Cullen 2021 Legacy Series Fruit Day Kevin John Chardonnay. Both are made in tiny quantities and retail for $350 a bottle.

So not wines for everyone, then.

Vanya Cullen explains that her father Kevin John "wanted to improve the breed and these small batches are made as an experimental series to make the best chardonnay".

Both artisanal Margaret River wines were hand harvested and after hand sorting the bunches were placed in amphora for two days of skin contact before pressing into 50% new puncheons to ferment, then resting in oak for eight months before bottling, with no fining or filtration.

Both wines are from the Cullen Vineyard and are 100% chardonnay. The "flower day" fruit was harvested on February 12 – a flower day. The "fruit day" wine was harvested on February 17 - an Apogee fruit day.

Both wines have, as you'd expect, a thread of commonality; structure and balance, but the flower day wine is a touch nervier, more highly strung and a little prettier.

The fruit day wine is a slightly bigger wine, more complete in its youth, I felt, with immense depth of flavour that filled the palate with myriad nuances.

The fruit day wine for me right now; the flower day for the cellar. But both paired brilliantly with red snapper.

In comparison, the standard 2021 Kevin John Chardonnay ($160) was harvested across three weeks including fruit and flower days and fermented naturally in biodynamic barrels, concrete eggs and amphorae. It sees less new oak.

For those keen to know more, go to https://www.cullenwines.com.au/