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2019 Diana Madeline

The 2019 Diana Madeline was born of a low yielding (cabernet sauvignon 4.75 tonnes per hectare, merlot 2.13 tonnes per hectare, cabernet franc 4.01 tonnes per hectare, Malbec 3.43 tonnes per hectare) warm vintage.

The vines were planted in 1971 on ancient gravelly granite soils, producing a wine of great quality, elegance, perfume and balance.
Predominately Fruit days with one harvest occurring on a Full Moon perigee with a supporting fruit trine.

Skin contact time ranged from 10-29 days before being gently basket pressed to barrel. It has spent an average of 15 months in oak, with 45% new oak, in a mixture of biodynamic barriques and puncheons.

The varietal blend is 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Malbec and 1% Petit Verdot. The wine will age for up to 50 years.

Vintage Notes

Vintage report 2019

The defining weather event in the 2019 vintage report was the frost on October which caused a 60% yield reduction in our chardonnay, due to timing and chardonnay being and early variety to go through budburst.

The weather conditions were relatively kind during the growing season although cooler, and harvest was short and sweet. This couldn’t have been better, as rains fell heavily shortly after harvest finished at Cullen’s. We are very excited about the quality of wines from the 2019 harvest, typical of low a low yield year. Because of the cooler conditions there was no food for the birds and nets were being taken off almost as we were harvesting to prevent damage. If you didn’t have nets there was no harvest as the birds were starving. A low year for honey also as no blossom on the gum trees and cooler conditions.

Winemaker Notes

Vineyard: 100% Cullen Vineyard
Varieties: 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 3 %Cabernet Franc 2% Malbec and 1% Petit Verdot.
Harvest: 20th March to 3rd April 2019
Oak: Aged for 15 months in barriques, of which 45% were new
Alcohol: 13.5%

Tasting Notes

Colour: Deep mulberry, ripe cherry with purple hues, showing youth, and vitality. Cellar: Up to 50 years Bouquet: Delicious aromas, and deeply perfumed, violets, wild rose, mulberry, satsuma plum and cigar box. An intoxicating nectar of cabernet sauvignon and family, and classic old vine, low yielding and intensity. Palate: An elegant, perfumed, wine. Light and intense, with fruit density, balance and opulent, in that Cabernet Sauvignon seductive way. The wines fine tannins, float across the palate…. Revealing plum, rose, chocolate, ironstone and cigar box.. The list of adjectives goes on and on into an infinite taste of Cullen Wilyabrup Diana Madeline - from a great vintage equal if not better than the great 2018.

Reviews

Author: Gary Walsh Publication: The Winefront (www.winefront.com.au) Date: 2nd February 2021 Score: 98

Incredible power and concentration here, and yet, still lithe and so finely wrought. It’s ultra-mineral in feel with iron and dense graphite tannin, but perfumed and spice-laden too. The quality and feel of tannin here is something quite extraordinary. Plum and dark cherry, dark tobacco, whiff of empty chocolate box, superb length of flavour. Essence of Cabernet. Essential Cabernet. We’ve never had it so good.

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Previous Releases

  • 2017 Diana Madeline

    Diana Madeline Cullen always liked the cooler seasons for Cabernet Sauvignon, especially the 1982.

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  • 2009 Diana Madeline 3L Double Magnum

    Vanya has referred to 2009 as the Mozart vintage because all of the wines produced in that year are in perfect harmony and balance.

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  • 2018 Diana Madeline

    These old vine Cabernet Sauvignon Houghton clones (8 different clones) were planted in 1971 on their own roots and are destined for the flagship wine Diana Madeline.
    2018 produced small yields, being 5.88 tonnes per hectare of Cabernet Sauvignon from certified biodynamic, carbon negative fruit. This has created a natural wine with elegance, balance and power.

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