Editors notes
Violet and subtle leafy perfume, pure black and red fruit, baking spices, aniseed and mocha. Medium bodied, the precision here, the generous delivery of flavour trimmed of excess, seems like the work of the truly gifted: how do you make it look so easy? Sculptured tannin, ribbons of clear acidity, and length that soars. Truly, a masterpiece of Australian Cabernet.
Details
-
Wine Type
-
Vintage
-
Variety
-
Brand
-
Location
-
Cellaring
-
Closure
-
Alcohol Percentage
-
Bottle Size
-
Oak Type
Tasting Profile
-
Light (Light)Full (Full)
-
Low Tannin (Low Tannin)Tannic (Tannic)
-
Sweet (Sweet)Dry (Dry)
-
Low Acidity (Low Acidity)High Acidity (High Acidity)
-
Aroma
- Blueberry
- Boysenberry
- Herbal
-
Palate
- Blue Fruits
- Cassis
- Graphite
Food Pairings
-
Pork -
Red Meat
Critic Scores & reviews
-
James Halliday
98"It is inappropriate to use the word elegant in describing the wine, simply because it is on another, higher level. The fragrant bouquet, the silky palate and perfectly shaped tannins of the finish are unique to this wine, which is made with endless care and patience by Vanya Cullen and her team. Why not 99 points? The oak is still a touch obvious."
-
Gary Walsh
98"Violet and subtle leafy perfume, pure black and red fruit, baking spices, aniseed and mocha. Medium bodied, the precision here, the generous delivery of flavour trimmed of excess, seems like the work of the truly gifted: how do you make it look so easy? Sculptured tannin, ribbons of clear acidity, and length that soars. Truly, a masterpiece of Australian Cabernet."
-
Vinous
96"Inky, bright-rimmed ruby. Powerful, mineral-accented cassis and blackberry scents are complicated by suggestions of roasted coffee, incense, potpourri and pipe tobacco. Broad and fleshy on the palate, offering alluringly sweet cherry, dark berry liqueur and floral pastille flavors that slowly tighten up on the back half. Becomes more energetic with air. The cherry, floral and spice notes return on the strikingly long, gently tannic and penetrating finish. Two-thirds of the oak here, all of it French, was new."
-
The Wine Advocate
94"Despite exhibiting a bit of youthful austerity, the 2015 Diana Madeline should mature into an exemplary representation of Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon (there's 11% Merlot, 1% Malbec and 1% Cabernet Franc in the blend). It's classic Bordeaux in style, meaning it's medium-bodied and streamlined and framed by firm but ripe tannins. Cassis fruit forms the core, although hints of cedar oak, pressed flowers and dried herbs add considerable nuance, picking up notes of chocolate on the taut, lingering finish. It's an early candidate for Cabernet Sauvignon of the vintage in Margaret River."
Other vintages
Love this wine? Here's a list of other vintages we have in stock if you'd like to try them as well.
-
- Variety Cabernet Blend
- Vintage 2017
- Brand Cullen
- Cellaring 15 Plus Years
- Wine Type Red
- Alcohol Percentage 14.5% Alcohol
Cullen Diana Madeline 2017-
James Halliday98 points
-
Gary Walsh96 points
-
Vinous96 points
-
James Suckling95 points
-
The Wine Advoca94 points
$175.00
Current auction
All current auctions for this wine & any different vintages.
Locations
Australia
Australia's wine industry is a thriving part of the country's economy, contributing significantly to employment, production, export, and tourism. In fact, the industry is the fourth-largest wine exporter in the world, shipping out 760 million liters of wine to countries including France, Italy, Spain, and the UK. One of the key factors contributing to Australia's success as a "New World" wine producer is the formal export and marketing of its wines through Wine Australia.
Australia's wine regions are scattered across the south and southeast, with almost every state boasting its own vineyards. Victoria, for example, is home to an impressive 21 wine regions. Some of the most famous wine regions in Australia include Margaret River, Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Eden Valley, Clare Valley, Hunter Valley, Yarra Valley, and local regions to New South Wales such as Cowra, Southern Highlands, and Mudgee.
Australian winemakers are known for producing a diverse range of grape varieties, with Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Noir being among the most popular. They tend to focus on producing wines that are ripe, fruit-forward, and easy to drink, using modern winemaking techniques and equipment such as stainless steel tanks and temperature-controlled fermentation.
With its bold, fruit-driven flavors and reputation for quality and diversity, Australian wine has become a popular choice for wine lovers around the world. And with such a broad range of wine regions and grape varieties, there's something for every palate to enjoy.
Western Australia
The wine regions of Western Australia are located in the southwest corner of the state. Among them, the famous Margaret River region boasts a warm maritime climate, situated around 200 kilometers south of Perth. Although it experiences higher levels of rainfall than other wine regions in Australia, the majority of it occurs during the winter months. Margaret River is renowned for its production of Cabernet Sauvignon, which is often blended with Merlot to create Bordeaux-style wines. Additionally, the region's Chardonnays are highly sought after due to their high natural acidity and concentrated stone-fruit aromas. These wines are further enhanced by malolactic fermentation and barrel aging, which lend complexity and depth to their flavor profiles.
In addition to Margaret River, the Great Southern region is also known for its wine production. This region includes subregions such as Frankland River and Mount Barker, where floral Rieslings, elegant Shiraz with peppery notes, and Cabernet Sauvignon are grown. Other wine regions in Western Australia include Blackwood Valley, Geographe, Peel, Pemberton, Manjimup, and Swan District.
Each of these regions has its own unique terroir, resulting in a diverse range of wines with distinct characteristics. From full-bodied reds to crisp whites, Western Australia has something to offer for every wine enthusiast.
Margaret River
Margaret River is the name of a river, town and key wine region. It is one of the younger viticultural regions in Australia, quickly gaining popularity for its world-class wine. Located 280km South of Perth in Western Australia, the first plantings were only made in 1967. The region has grown rapidly and is recognised as one of the great wine-producing regions of the world, with over 200 wineries in operation. Made up of predominantly boutique producers, with a number of big player wineries also, the region makes up only 3% of the Australian wine production, but commands over 20% of the premium wine market. The wineries in the region are vibrant, innovative and progressive in their approach to viticulture.
The Mediterranean style climate provides superior maritime growing conditions, with vines not affected by extreme summer and winter temperatures. The region is well known for producing outstanding red wines; Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and to a lesser extent Shiraz, Tempranillo and Malbec. Both straight varietals and famous Bordeaux blends can be outstanding.
In the white wines, Chardonnays of great depth and character, and fresh Semillon Sauvignon Blanc blends are the main varietals the region is famous for. Lesser quantities of Viognier, Riesling and Muscat are also produced.
About the brand Cullen
In the Australian wine industry, few names are so revered as Cullen out of Western Australia's Margaret River. From its inception in 1966 by Dr Kevin and Diana Cullen, this winery has seen only premium viticulture and winemaking practices in order to produce equally exceptional wines. First planted in 1971, the site now totals over 18 acres of vineyards planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Semillon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. In 1989 Diana Cullen handed the winemaking reins over to her daughter Vanya, who continues to hold that position in addition to Managing Director.
With the goal to express the vineyard character through its wines, Vanya converted to biodynamic viticulture and uses a minimal intervention approach; the vines are dry-grown and low yielding in order to produce intensely flavoured grapes. All pruning and harvesting is done by hand and fermentation occurs using natural yeasts. In addition to it being biodynamic, Cullen is also a Carbon Neutral and a naturally powered estate, respecting the environment to sustaining the land for many years to come.
 
 
You May Also Like
Customer Reviews
Write Your Own Review