Tasting Notes
Negroni, peaches and cream, oregano, wild thyme.
Incredible depth of palate and youthful exuberance. Silky, long finish with flavours and fruit density filling the mouth. The grainy, soft tannins, which dance around the front palate hold the wine and all its characters in perfect tension to then take the silky flavours on the back palate, where they linger in dense, perfect proportions.
This Amber wine is a blend of 52% sauvignon blanc and 48% semillon fruit, selected from our certified biodynamic Cullen Vineyard. The vines were planted from 1976-1978, and are grown on Scott Henry and Lyre trellising systems, allowing for healthy fruit to grow on vigorous vines with dense canopies. A small portion of this wine has come from younger sauvignon blanc vines, planted in 1988, contributing to the strength of character in the fruit profile.
The grapes for this wine were harvested on a full Moon opposite Saturn flower day, new Moon flower day, and flower and fruit days according to the biodynamic calendar. It was then fermented in both open and closed fermenters, as well as amphorae for an average of 10 days on skins, before being pressed and aged in older French oak puncheons and biodynamic barriques for 3 months.
This style of the skin fermented “orange wine” displays beautiful characters which reflect a cross between red and white styles with “Negroni” orange blossom.
About Cullen
A little known fact about the Cullen family is that their association with wine in Western Australia dates back to the 1880’s, when Kevin Cullen’s grandfather, Ephraim Mayo Clarke (1846 – 1921), purchased a small business and plot of land in Bunbury, Western Australia, where he started a store and winery.
He successfully produced the highly popular ‘Punchbowl’ wine which he sold through the family shop and as far afield as the WA Goldfields. Kevin’s mother Elvie and her nine siblings all worked at the winery. When Ephraim died, it passed into the hands of his only tee-totalling son, who left the vines unattended. They eventually went into decline and the land was sold.
Kevin Cullen grew up in Western Australia and studied medicine at the University of Western Australia, where he became the first recipient of a Doctorate of Medicine. He was an outstanding student and in 1941 was invited to Melbourne University to continue his medical studies. It was here that he met the enigmatic young Diana Adams. Diana was studying Physiotherapy and was at the top of her class and a popular student.
They were married in 1946 and moved to Tasmania where Diana’s family was well known and featured regularly in Hobart’s social pages. Soon after they were married, Kevin’s father Pat, who was living in Bunbury Western Australia and working as a doctor himself, sent word to Kevin that a doctor was desperately needed in Busselton. In 1947 Kevin moved to Busselton to become their local doctor and it wasn’t long before Diana joined him to work as a physiotherapist.
Their family quickly grew with the addition of Rick, Shel, Stewart, Digby, Ariane and finally Vanya.
