Home > Wines We Love > 2021 Cullen Wines ‘Amber’

From the certified biodynamic Cullen vineyard, this is Vanya Cullen’s foray into orange wine territory. A predictably amber hue, this has herbal and citrus notes, lemongrass and a savoury accent, with pithy grape-skin tannins giving characteristic grip.

Producer
Cullen
Region

Margaret River
RRP

$39
Vintage

2021
Variety/Varieties

Sauvignon blanc Semillon
Alc./Vol.

12.5%

From the certified biodynamic Cullen vineyard, this is Vanya Cullen’s foray into orange wine territory. A predictably amber hue, this has herbal and citrus notes, lemongrass and a savoury accent, with pithy grape-skin tannins giving characteristic grip.

Tasting note

A 60/40 blend of sauvignon blanc and semillon, this saw an average of 10 days on skins in open fermenters, amphorae and a concrete egg. The skin contact has given this a gentle golden hue, like a young whisky, with the sauvignon blanc subtly recognisable under the savoury aromatic lift, with gravelly mineral-like aromas, lemongrass, fennel frond and orange blossom all contributing to a subtly complex nose. Those skins are evident on the palate, with decent tannic chew cinching the wine in, though the fruit freshness still shines through.

Themes of this wine

Sauvignon blanc

When you think of sauvignon blanc, it’s hard not to think of New Zealand almost immediately, and the pungently expressive examples from Marlborough. But sauvignon also contributes to some of France’s most noble wines, as well as a huge diversity of expressions in Australia, both bottles solo and in blends. One of the most aromatic of grapes, sauvignon blanc is not shy for flavour and typically is quite high in acid. On the leaner end, those flavours will be very grassy and herbal and advance through passionfruit to some quite opulent tropical characters as the fruit gets riper.

Margaret River

If you’re after a wine region with a healthy dose of conspicuous glamour, then Margaret River has it all. Three hours south of Perth, ‘Margs’ is littered with iconic wineries, many with dazzling cellar doors and world-class restaurants. And then there’s the abundant sunshine, and the beaches – oh, those beaches… It’s a beautiful, beautiful place, and for a young wine region it’s very mature, with well-established paths to success built largely on the twin pillars of chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon (et al). Names like Cullen, Moss Wood, Woodlands, Leeuwin Estate and Vasse Felix feel like they’re etched in stone, but in the last little while, smaller players have been making their mark.

Skin contact

The skins hold the colouring matter and lots of tannin. Leave them in contact with the juice/wine and you’ll extract those elements. Most conventional white wine sees no skin contact, rosé a little bit to get a blush, and red wine plenty to get the colour and structure. Skin-contact whites… well, they have some skin contact. Yep. More colour, more tannin and a different flavour profile.

Egg-shaped fermenters

Amphorae are some of the most ancient winemaking vessels, and the modern practice of using ovoid fermenters is a very similar idea, with the shape encouraging ferment vectors to swirl and tumble. While amphorae are typically made from clay, eggs (and various other similar shapes, including tulip-shaped vessels) come in a range of materials, from concrete to ceramic to steel.

Biodynamic

An organic farming method created by Rudolph Steiner in the 1920s, biodynamics is a slightly mystical approach, employing elaborate organic ‘preparations’ to restore the natural balance of the soil and encourage microorganisms. It also observes the lunar cycle to prescribe actions in the vineyard and winery. Why some of it works is not clearly understood, but it is used by some of the world’s greatest producers.

Home > Wines We Love > 2021 Cullen Wines ‘Mangan East Block’

A dark tangle of ripe wild berries, dusky florals and spices are ferried on a palate that has the classic tannic growl of malbec, but with amply generous fruit in support.

Producer
Cullen
Region

Margaret River
RRP

$55
Vintage

2021
Variety/Varieties

Malbec Petit verdot
Alc./Vol.

13.5%

Vanya Cullen’s best known for her iconic cabernet and chardonnay, but her ‘Mangan East Block’, which heroes malbec and petit verdot, is equally deserving of attention. A dark tangle of ripe wild berries, dusky florals and spices are ferried on a palate that has the classic tannic growl of malbec, but with amply generous fruit in support.

Tasting note

This vintage, petit verdot occupies a larger slice of the wine (41%), but malbec is still in majority (49%). There’s a warm generosity matched with a lift of dusky florals and warm spices. Dark forest berries, ripe mulberry and a hint of black cherry sit alongside coca nibs, black spices, pumpernickel and a humus-like earthy note. That spectrum continues on the palate, with fruit generosity well hemmed in by robust tannins, the malbec playing a classic part, with a bitter chocolate grip and mouth puckering dryness, which only adds to the charm.

Themes of this wine

Malbec

Malbec is a French grape that has become much more synonymous with Argentina, where it dominates the country’s vineyards. In Australia, malbec is typically blended as a minor component, but with better vine material and new thinking, malbec’s personality is emerging from the shadows. With a generally dark fruit profile, plums, dark cherries and blackberries, malbec can range from the deeply fruited and ruggedly tannic to more supple and silky expressions – typically those from Argentina, where the vine material is quite different to everywhere else.

Petit Verdot

One of the five principal red grapes of Bordeaux, petit verdot is typically employed in the lowest percentages in blends. It is a late ripener, and the latest of the Bordeaux quintet, often struggling to reach full maturity in its home region. When ripe, however, it has intense flavour, colour, tannin and acidity, making it a compelling blending component. That slow maturation cycle also makes it a good prospect in warmer zones, and it is planted in quite high concentration in Australia’s Riverland, even eclipsing the total plantings in France by a significant margin.

Margaret River

If you’re after a wine region with a healthy dose of conspicuous glamour, then Margaret River has it all. Three hours south of Perth, ‘Margs’ is littered with iconic wineries, many with dazzling cellar doors and world-class restaurants. And then there’s the abundant sunshine, and the beaches – oh, those beaches… It’s a beautiful, beautiful place, and for a young wine region it’s very mature, with well-established paths to success built largely on the twin pillars of chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon (et al). Names like Cullen, Moss Wood, Woodlands, Leeuwin Estate and Vasse Felix feel like they’re etched in stone, but in the last little while, smaller players have been making their mark.

Biodynamic

An organic farming method created by Rudolph Steiner in the 1920s, biodynamics is a slightly mystical approach, employing elaborate organic ‘preparations’ to restore the natural balance of the soil and encourage microorganisms. It also observes the lunar cycle to prescribe actions in the vineyard and winery. Why some of it works is not clearly understood, but it is used by some of the world’s greatest producers.

Home > Wines We Love > 2020 Cullen ‘Mangan East Block’

Malbec and petit verdot conspire to give this wine a darkly fruited, spicy yet floral and lithe profile, packed with complex fruit flavours stretched over a savoury canvas.

Producer
Cullen
Region

Margaret River
RRP

$55
Vintage

2020
Variety/Varieties

Malbec
Alc./Vol.

13.5%

Across the road from the Cullen home vineyard, the Mangan Vineyard is a little younger, planted in 1995–97, and is farmed in the same meticulous biodynamic way as the rest of the estate. Malbec and petit verdot conspire to give this wine a darkly fruited, spicy yet floral and lithe profile, packed with complex fruit flavours stretched over a savoury canvas.

Tasting note

Malbec takes the lead here (82%), with petit verdot backing up (18%), with both varieties providing a darkly complex array of red and dark fruits, sultry spice and dusky florals. Dark plum, currants, mulberry, dried rose, violets, woodsy herbs and dark spices all sit in a complex package, marked by intensity but with an elegant composure. There is a supple intensity on the palate, but it’s wound up in a web of fine but assertive tannins, stretching the flavours long and savoury.

Themes of this wine

Malbec

Malbec is a French grape that has become much more synonymous with Argentina, where it dominates the country’s vineyards. In Australia, malbec is typically blended as a minor component, but with better vine material and new thinking, malbec’s personality is emerging from the shadows. With a generally dark fruit profile, plums, dark cherries and blackberries, malbec can range from the deeply fruited and ruggedly tannic to more supple and silky expressions – typically those from Argentina, where the vine material is quite different to everywhere else.

Petit Verdot

One of the five principal red grapes of Bordeaux, petit verdot is typically employed in the lowest percentages in blends. It is a late ripener, and the latest of the Bordeaux quintet, often struggling to reach full maturity in its home region. When ripe, however, it has intense flavour, colour, tannin and acidity, making it a compelling blending component. That slow maturation cycle also makes it a good prospect in warmer zones, and it is planted in quite high concentration in Australia’s Riverland, even eclipsing the total plantings in France by a significant margin.

Margaret River

If you’re after a wine region with a healthy dose of conspicuous glamour, then Margaret River has it all. Three hours south of Perth, ‘Margs’ is littered with iconic wineries, many with dazzling cellar doors and world-class restaurants. And then there’s the abundant sunshine, and the beaches – oh, those beaches… It’s a beautiful, beautiful place, and for a young wine region it’s very mature, with well-established paths to success built largely on the twin pillars of chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon (et al). Names like Cullen, Moss Wood, Woodlands, Leeuwin Estate and Vasse Felix feel like they’re etched in stone, but in the last little while, smaller players have been making their mark.

Biodynamic

An organic farming method created by Rudolph Steiner in the 1920s, biodynamics is a slightly mystical approach, employing elaborate organic ‘preparations’ to restore the natural balance of the soil and encourage microorganisms. It also observes the lunar cycle to prescribe actions in the vineyard and winery. Why some of it works is not clearly understood, but it is used by some of the world’s greatest producers.

Home > Wines We Love > 2018 Cullen Wines ‘Grace Madeline’

A blend of sauvignon blanc and semillon from older vines. Cullen has given the fruit a bit of a luxury Bordeaux treatment with plenty of classy oak, but the vibrant lift of cut herbs and cassis leave the strongest impression, with a textual but brightly fresh palate following up.

Producer
Cullen
Region

Margaret River
RRP

$39
Vintage

2018
Variety/Varieties

Sauvignon blanc Semillon
Alc./Vol.

13%

Named in homage to Vanya Cullen’s maternal grandmother, the newly minted ‘Grace Madeline’ is a blend of sauvignon blanc and semillon from older vines. Cullen has given the fruit a bit of a luxury Bordeaux treatment with plenty of classy oak, but the vibrant lift of cut herbs and cassis leave the strongest impression, with a textual but brightly fresh palate following up.

Tasting note

The sauvignon in this has seen 75% new oak for three months, but the fruit swallows it without pause, with lifted notes of nettles, blackcurrants, soft herbs and a hint of lemongrass. There’s a savoury side to this, with a gentle but assertive grip to the palate and a milky barrel note adding complexity, gravelly minerals adding further dept through a long finish with pillowy texture wrapping around a bright acid spine.

Themes of this wine

Margaret River

If you’re after a wine region with a healthy dose of conspicuous glamour, then Margaret River has it all. Three hours south of Perth, ‘Margs’ is littered with iconic wineries, many with dazzling cellar doors and world-class restaurants. And then there’s the abundant sunshine, and the beaches – oh, those beaches… It’s a beautiful, beautiful place, and for a young wine region it’s very mature, with well-established paths to success built largely on the twin pillars of chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon (et al). Names like Cullen, Moss Wood, Woodlands, Leeuwin Estate and Vasse Felix feel like they’re etched in stone, but in the last little while, smaller players have been making their mark.

Sauvignon blanc

When you think of sauvignon blanc, it’s hard not to think of New Zealand almost immediately, and the pungently expressive examples from Marlborough. But sauvignon also contributes to some of France’s most noble wines – principally in the Loire Valley and Bordeaux – as well as a huge diversity of expressions in Australia, both bottled solo and in blends.

Semillon

In league with sauvignon blanc and muscadelle, semillon is responsible for the dry whites of Bordeaux, as well as the great sweet wines of Sauternes, Barsac et al. In Australia, semillon found its own unique niche in the Hunter Valley, making low alcohol, super-bright and zippy wines that age for decades, while in Margaret River it is more often than not blended with sauvignon blanc to make the region’s signature aromatic white.

Home > Wines We Love > 2019 Cullen ‘Dancing in the Moonlight’ Rosé

This rosé is an expression of all the red varieties in the Cullen vineyard viewed through a deep pink lens. Fragrant, spicy and herbal, with a plump of richness cleaned up with a gentle grip working in concert with the acidity.

Producer
Cullen
Region

Margaret River
RRP

$25
Vintage

2019
Variety/Varieties

Cabernet franc Cabernet sauvignon Malbec Merlot
Alc./Vol.

13.3%

Vanya Cullen makes some of Margaret River’s most iconic classic wines, but she also wanders creatively, with her Supernatural series embodying that spirit of adventure. Cullen’s rosé is an expression of all the red varieties in the vineyard viewed through a deep pink lens, fragrant, spicy and herbal, with a plump of richness cleaned up with a gentle grip working in concert with the acidity.

Tasting note

Made from all the red varieties at the biodynamic Cullen vineyard – cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot, malbec – this rosé is made by the saignée method. Lifted smoky notes of leafy cabernet with essence-like red and dark berries, blackcurrant leaf and freshly cut soft herbs. This is dialled up a little in colour, thumbing its nose at Provence-like paleness, and it does the same with the flavour, along with a pillowy slip of sweetness greeting the palate first up, then cleaning up with gentle tannin and mild but persuasive acidity.

Themes of this wine

Saignée

The saignée method is where juice is drained from crushed red grapes prior to fermentation to increase the impact of tannins and colour when the grapes are macerated. It effectively concentrates that wine, while providing juice blushed with colour that can be made into rosé

Biodynamic

An organic farming method created by Rudolph Steiner in the 1920s, biodynamics is a slightly mystical approach, employing elaborate organic ‘preparations’ to restore the natural balance of the soil and encourage microorganisms. It also observes the lunar cycle to prescribe actions in the vineyard and winery. Why some of it works is not clearly understood, but it is used by some of the world’s greatest producers.

Cabernet sauvignon

The world’s most prolific wine grape, cabernet sauvignon has been planted in Australia since the first days of viticulture here. Today, its prime homes are arguably Margaret River and Coonawarra, but the Yarra Valley and even the Hunter Valley mount very convincing cases, too. Cassis or blackcurrant is one of cabernet sauvignon’s prime flavour profiles, though blackberry, mulberry and plum also feature. Notes of mint and capsicum (pyrazines) generally appear when less ripe, with a leafy varietal character persisting in most riper versions, though ultra-rich versions will tend to lose this and become more concentrated in a dark berry conserve-like way.

Cabernet franc

Associated primarily with Bordeaux, where it partners with cabernet sauvignon, merlot, petit verdot and malbec, cabernet franc reaches its greatest heights on the Right Bank of the Gironde estuary. There it goes to making some of the greatest and most expensive wines of Bordeaux – such as from St-Emilion and Pomerol – often in league with merlot, while on the warmer Left Bank, cabernet sauvignon is king. The Loire Valley is the other prime territory for cabernet franc, where it is mostly bottled unblended. Franc shares much of its profile with cabernet sauvignon, but franc tends to be less imposing, more fragrant with a less-pronounced tannin structure, and if pushed a little riper can be quite soft on the palate with pooling ripe fruit.

Merlot

Merlot has developed a reputation as a grape that produces soft and gentle wines, but it is far more than that. Although it’s capable of making wines of great elegance and detail when bottled solo, merlot more often makes a major contribution to blends, buffering cabernet sauvignon’s sterner side, adding depth and filling out the palate with fruit. Merlot is the second-most widely planted grape in the world, and it’s the most planted in France, where it originates. Merlot is a grape of principal importance in Bordeaux, accompanying cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc in occupying the lion’s share of those famous blended wines.

Malbec

Malbec is a French grape that has become much more synonymous with Argentina, where it dominates the country’s vineyards. In Australia, malbec is typically blended as a minor component, but with better vine material and new thinking, malbec’s personality is emerging from the shadows. With a generally dark fruit profile, plums, dark cherries and blackberries, malbec can range from the deeply fruited and ruggedly tannic to more supple and silky expressions – typically those from Argentina, where the vine material is quite different to everywhere else.

Home > Wines We Love > 2019 Cullen ‘Amber’

Vanya Cullen’s ‘Supernatural’ journey into skin-contact whites continues, with the 2019 ‘Amber’ a spicy, fragrant and gently grippy expression of sauvignon blanc.

Producer
Cullen
Region

Margaret River
RRP

$39
Vintage

2019
Variety/Varieties

Sauvignon blanc
Alc./Vol.

13%

Vanya Cullen’s ‘Supernatural’ journey into skin-contact whites continues, with the 2019 ‘Amber’ a spicy, fragrant and gently grippy expression of sauvignon blanc.

Tasting note

Light golden amber in the glass, with some leathery, dried peel, cassia bark and waxy notes on the nose. First up this has a musky almost ambergris character, like an old-school French perfume built on tobacco and cedar, but then the variety pops out, with herbal high points, but they play down a smokier line, a bit like dried curry leaves. There’s a pull of tannin running through the wine, with the grip pulling the fruit to the savoury side, with the gentle richness dusted with spice and lightly drying texture.

Themes of this wine

Sauvignon blanc

When you think of sauvignon blanc, it’s hard not to think of New Zealand almost immediately, and the pungently expressive examples from Marlborough. But sauvignon also contributes to some of France’s most noble wines, as well as a huge diversity of expressions in Australia, both bottled solo and in blends.

To dig deeper into sauvignon blanc, see here.

Margaret River

If you’re after a wine region with a healthy dose of conspicuous glamour, then Margaret River has it all. Three hours south of Perth, ‘Margs’ is littered with iconic wineries, many with dazzling cellar doors and world-class restaurants. And then there’s the abundant sunshine, and the beaches – oh, those beaches… It’s a beautiful, beautiful place, and for a young wine region it’s very mature, with well-established paths to success built largely on the twin pillars of chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon (et al). Names like Cullen, Moss Wood, Woodlands, Leeuwin Estate and Vasse Felix feel like they’re etched in stone, but in the last little while, smaller players have been making their mark, too.

To dig deeper into Margaret River, see here.

Skin contact

The skins hold the colouring matter and lots of tannin. Leave them in contact with the juice/wine and you’ll extract those elements. Most conventional white wine sees no skin contact, rosé a little bit to get a blush, and red wine plenty to get the colour and structure. Skin-contact whites… well, they have some skin contact. Yep. More colour, more tannin and a different flavour profile.

Home > Wines We Love > 2019 Cullen ‘Mangan East Block’

A Malbec-dominant red from the Mangan Vineyard, across the road from Cullen’s home site, this is brim full of spice and dark fruits with a refined finish – it makes a pretty compelling case for the grape.

Producer
Cullen
Region

Margaret River
RRP

$45
Vintage

2019
Variety/Varieties

Malbec Petit verdot
Alc./Vol.

13.5%

A Malbec-dominant red from the Mangan Vineyard, across the road from Cullen’s home site, this is brim full of spice and dark fruits with a refined finish – it makes a pretty compelling case for the grape.

Tasting note

This is deep and darkly fruited, with so many layers of spice, but it’s not brooding or overly big. Sour black fruits, wild plums, blackberries, mulberries, panforte and licorice on the nose, with a lilting fragrance of violets set against a tarry minerality. Those flavours kick through to the palate, with caraway seed and pumpernickel notes as well. Intense and generously fruited, this has presence without being rich, with a savoury feel to it and deceptive, almost sneaky tannins lying in wait, with hard herb featuring through the long finish.

Themes of this wine

Malbec

Aside from a starring role in the French appellation of Cahors and near idolatry in Argentina, Malbec is generally relegated to be a bit player in blends, classically in Bordeaux and also in the Loire Valley, where it is called cot. Malbec is typically dark fruited, with grippy tannins a major feature.

Margaret River

If you’re after a wine region with a healthy dose of conspicuous glamour, then Margaret River has it all. Three hours south of Perth, ‘Margs’ is littered with iconic wineries, many with dazzling cellar doors and world-class restaurants. And then there’s the abundant sunshine, and the beaches – oh, those beaches… It’s a beautiful, beautiful place, and for a young wine region it’s very mature, with well-established paths to success built largely on the twin pillars of chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon (et al). Names like Cullen, Moss Wood, Woodlands, Leeuwin Estate and Vasse Felix feel like they’re etched in stone, but in the last little while, smaller players have been making their mark, too.

2021 Cullen Wines ‘Amber’ Margaret River

From the certified biodynamic Cullen vineyard, this is Vanya Cullen’s foray into orange wine territory. A predictably amber hue, this has herbal and citrus notes, lemongrass and a savoury accent, with pithy grape-skin tannins giving characteristic grip.

Tasting note

Themes of this wine

Sauvignon blanc

Margaret River

Skin contact

Egg-shaped fermenters

Biodynamic

Tasting note

Themes of this wine

Malbec

Petit Verdot

Margaret River

Biodynamic

Tasting note

Themes of this wine

Malbec

Petit Verdot

Margaret River

Biodynamic

Tasting note

Themes of this wine

Margaret River

Sauvignon blanc

Semillon

Tasting note

Themes of this wine

Saignée

Biodynamic

Cabernet sauvignon

Cabernet franc

Merlot

Malbec

Vanya Cullen’s ‘Supernatural’ journey into skin-contact whites continues, with the 2019 ‘Amber’ a spicy, fragrant and gently grippy expression of sauvignon blanc.

Tasting note

Themes of this wine

Sauvignon blanc

Margaret River

Skin contact

A Malbec-dominant red from the Mangan Vineyard, across the road from Cullen’s home site, this is brim full of spice and dark fruits with a refined finish – it makes a pretty compelling case for the grape.

Tasting note

Themes of this wine

Malbec

Margaret River

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