Cullen Kevin John Wilyabrup Chardonnay 2023
Straw in colour with green hints. This incredibly perfumed wine has intriguing aromas of lemon, lime flowers, kaffir lime, dried pear and fig with hints of saline. On the palate, concentrated characters of dried pear, orange blossom, and lemon sherbet combine with vibrant mineral acidity.
This wine was named after Kevin John Cullen, a pioneer of the Margaret River wine region. Together with his wife Diana, they planted the first Cabernet Sauvignon in Wilyabrup, located just 20 kilometres north of Margaret River township. Fruit was harvested from three separate Wente clone Chardonnay blocks in Cullen's own vineyards where the vines are more than 30 years old, having been planted in 1976 and 1988. Their aspect is mostly level or southerly and the soils are old granite and sandy loam. Winemaker Vanya Cullen feels that her conversion to biodynamic viticulture has given better fruit, the character of which she has preserved during the winemaking process.
Fruit was hand harvested around the biodynamic calendar over 8 different passes. It was then whole-bunch, basket-pressed and then 12% of the juice racked to amphora for a two day skin contact before being pressed to 50% new biodynamic puncheons for fermentation. Fermentation occurred with indigenous yeast, with 10% occurring in a concrete egg. Regular batonnage took place. The wine underwent 100% natural malolactic conversion and spent a total of six months in puncheons. The wine had no fining, filtration or cold stabilisation.
| RRP | £130.00 |
| Bottle size | 75cl |
| Vintage | 2023 |
| Alcoholic strength | 13.8% |
| Country | Australia |
| Region | Western Australia |
| Subregion | Margaret River |
| Grapes | Chardonnay 100% |
| Vegetarian | Yes |
| Vegan | Yes |
| Organic | Yes |
| Biodynamic | Yes |
| Closure | Screwcap |
| Winemaker | Vanya Cullen |
Having celebrated their 50th anniversary in 2021, Cullen is one of the oldest and most awarded family wineries in Western Australia’s famous Margaret River region. First established in 1971 by Dr Kevin and Diana Cullen, the estate is certified biodynamic, carbon neutral and naturally powered, with a philosophy summed up in three simple words: ‘Quality, Integrity and Sustainability’.
Di and Kevin’s youngest daughter, Vanya, who has worked at the winery since 1983, became Chief Winemaker in 1989 and Managing Director in 1999. She has worked tirelessly to continue developing the winery over this time, first introducing organic farming in 1998 and then, in 2004, saw it classified as a fully certified biodynamic estate. In 2000, Vanya was named Qantas/The Wine Magazine Winemaker of the Year, becoming the first woman and Western Australian to do so.
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. James Halliday, Australia’s best-known critic, said, “Her commitment to improving Cullen Wines while leaving the world a better place is reflected in the winery’s carbon-neutral and naturally powered status.” This commitment was further recognised by Vanya winning James Halliday’s inaugural Viticulturist of the Year award, with Tyson Stelzer noting, “Vanya Cullen possesses a deeply emotional connection with her vines and her land like nobody else.” In 2023, Vanya was awarded the Order of Australia (OAM) for her services to viticulture and wine. The acclaim Vanya has received reflects her fierce dedication to promoting sustainable viticulture. She is an influential figure to like-minded winemakers across the world.
The Cullen wines hail from two estate-owned vineyards in Wilyabrup, a subregion of Margaret River. In an effort to promote the subregion as a distinct winegrowing area of Margaret River, all the Cullen wines are now labelled as Wilyabrup. Both estate vineyards, ‘Mangan’ and ‘Cullen’, are certified biodynamic and lend themselves to wines made with no additions of yeast, acid, or tannins.
