2021 Kevin John
The 2021 Kevin John is another landmark in the journey of finding the holy grail of great chardonnay with biodynamics, digging deeper to find wines of the land.
Harvested across 3 weeks including fruit and flower days and fermented naturally in biodynamic barrels, concrete eggs and amphorae. This wine matured in 35% new puncheons for 8 months before bottling without fining or filtration.
Vintage Notes
The 2021 harvest was defined by Covid and staff restrictions for hand harvesting. The low yields ensured that the crop was harvested at optimal condition and ripeness. Bird pressure was high and rain events during the growing seasons and also throughout harvest provided challenges.
In spite of these adverse conditions, in Wilyabrup, we finished harvest in good time and are very happy with the wines. Standout varieties: chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, cabernet sauvignon.
Winemaker Notes
V ineyard: 100% Cullen Vineyard
Varieties: 100% Chardonnay
Harvest: 3rd to 18th February, on fruit and flower days.
Oak: 8 months in 35% now oak
Alcohol: 13%
Tasting Notes
Reviews
Author: Gary Walsh Publication: The Wine Front Date: 19th May, 2022 Score: 97I think Cullen wines are getting more distinctive, and different to other typical Margaret River wines year on year. That’s a very good thing in my book. “Fermented naturally in biodynamic barrels, concrete eggs and amphorae. This wine is matured in 35% new puncheons for 8 months before bottling without fining or filtration.”
The colour is pretty deep and bold, though that’s neither here nor there. Sea salt, violets, tangerine and white nectarine, aniseed, nutmeg and assorted sweet spices, a slight clay-like earthiness. It’s saline and bright, bursts with ripe acidity, a very ‘minerally’ feel to it, juicy lime and pink grapefruit, a firm chalk dust texture, and lime zest. Intense, really tight, with superb length. Almost a nod to Jura here. Such distinctive personality and so much charisma. It’s superb.
Author: Ray Jordan Date: June, 2022 Score: 98Gosh, where do you start with this exceptional chardonnay that marks the 50th year of winemaking at Cullen. Harvested across 3 weeks including fruit and flower days and fermented naturally in biodynamic barrels, concrete eggs and amphorae. This wine was matured in 35% new puncheons for 8 months before bottling without fining or filtration. There's a subtle aromatic fragrance of spice and cumquat. The palate is precise and defined by its length and linear profile. When tasted it was coiled and tight as a drum with a savoury and slightly struck match complexity. Very long cellaring potential.
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Previous Releases
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2020 Kevin John
The 2020 Kevin John is made from the Wente Clone planted in 1976 on Cullen Vineyard. The soil is forest grove and mostly southerly slope or level. The vines are certified biodynamic, and in 2020 produced a yield of 1.3 tonnes per hectare.
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2017 Kevin John
This is a wine defined by great purity, elegance and a fantastic acid backbone: a vintage destined for great ageing potential.
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2019 Kevin John
This wine, our flagship 2019 Kevin John has been sourced from our old chardonnay vines planted in 1976-1988. They are Gin Gin Clone, also known as the Old Wente Clone originally from UC Davis. They produce tiny yields of the best quality fruit.
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2018 Kevin John
This wine, our flagship 2018 Kevin John has been sourced from our old chardonnay vines planted in 1976-1988. They are Gin Gin Clone, also known as the Old Wente Clone originally from UC Davis. They produce tiny yields of the best quality fruit. This year it was 2.75 tonnes per hectare of certified biodynamic, carbon negative fruit, how wonderful!
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