2023 Cullen Amber Wine

95 pts
Vanya Cullen exploring skin contact winemaking. This is a class act orange wine.

Price:
Sale price$40.00
Stock:
In stock, ready to ship
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Description

Vanya Cullen, one of Margaret River's pre-eminent winemakers, taking on an amber or 'orange' wine here. How the times are changing in WA!

Vanya sees this as part of the natural progression of her winemaking exploration. For many years she has produced some of the region's best examples of Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon blends - in this wine, she explores the affect of extended skin maceration on the Sauvignon Blanc grape.

As usual, Vanya doesn't do things by halves. The fruit spent up to 9 days on skins in a mixture of amphorae and tank before being pressed.

She has produced a wonderful expressive orange wine here, full of textural intrigue and exotic aromatics. It's complex, detailed and finely executed - everything you might expect from one of Margaret River's finest.

95 points
"Unique yet pure and expressive."
- Ryan Montgomery (James Suckling)

This year’s Amber is a blend of 60% Sauvignon Blanc and 40% Semillon from the old vines planted on Cullen vineyard in 1976-1978. Hand harvested around the biodynamic calendar of the Moon opposite Saturn fruit day on 6th March 2023. Crushed to open fermenters to pick up tannin and phenolic tension and vitality from the 10 day of skin contact. The wine was then aged in 25% new oak for 7 months.

VINEYARD
100% Cullen Vineyard

VARIETIES
60% Sauvignon Blanc, 40% Semillon.

HARVEST
06/03/2023 on a MOSH full moon fruit day

OAK
7 months in 25% new oak

ALCOHOL
12.5%

Colour
Deep golden Amber

Cellar
Drink now or up to 30 years.

Bouquet
Orange blossom, negroni, nectarine

Food
Serve with cured meats, olives, sardines

Palate
Vibrant, fresh, complex with negroni orange blossom and a great sense of the earth in the wine in connection to place. Good length and phenolic tension. A delicious and unique wine.

Price Bracket $31 to $40
Type Amber
Body Medium Bodied
Variety Sauvignon Blanc
Country Australia
Region Margaret River
Australian State WA
Feature Biodynamic
Organic
Vegan
Women in Wine
Reviewed By James Suckling
Critic Score 95
Alcohol 12.5%
Size 750ml
Vintage 2023
Closure Screw Cap

Cullen

The Cullen property has been in the Cullen family since 1948 with founders Diana Madeline and Kevin John planting the first vines on the farm in 1971.

Today Cullen sits as one of the top estates in Margaret River. Their impeccable versions of Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are now both considered clear regional benchmarks.

The Cullen estate is farmed with a strict adherence to the principals of biodynamic farming. Current day owner and winemaker Vanya Cullen is one of the most outspoken advocates of the benefits of these practices in the industry and her results speak for themselves.

These are extraordinary wines that hold their own against the world's best. A gem of the Australian wine scene, to be sure.

Owner and winemaker, Vanya Cullen Cullen

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