Cullen - KJ Chardonnay & DM Cabernet Launch
Vanya Cullen Launches
Kevin John Chardonnay 2025 &
Diana Madeline Cabernet 2024
13 wines
With
3 Chardonnays,
3 Bordeaux varietals
&
3 Diana Madeline Cabernet Sauvignons
including the 1st ever
Cullen Diana Madeline Legacy Series,
the MOSH Cabernet Malbec 2023
From one of the most decorated producers in the country, they don’t just show well… they define the benchmark.
The official release of Kevin John Chardonnay 2025 and Diana Madeline Cabernet Sauvignon 2024, presented alongside rare mini verticals of both flagship wines.
13 wines in total, showcasing these two benchmarks that define Margaret River at its highest level.
Hosted by Halliday Winemaker of the Year (2020) and Viticulturist of the Year (2022), Vanya Cullen (OAM).
Hosted by Vanya Cullen (OAM)
Lunch: 12-3pm, 13 Wines & 4 Courses, $195
Masterclass: 4-6pm, 13 Wines with Kate Lamont nibbles, $95
Cullen Legacy Dinner:
Kevin John, Diana Madeline & Vanya Cabernet Vertical, $550
(Dinner is held in the Lamont’s Private Dining Room | 14 seats)
About Cullen’s Wines…
A Track Record of Exceptional Critical RatingsCullen’s flagship wines have an extraordinary track record of critical success, including multiple Halliday #1 rankings for Diana Madeline and consistent 98 point scores across vintages.
Margaret River itself dominates Australian wine shows, winning 78% of all Capital City Cabernet trophies and 65% of Chardonnay trophies in the past decade.
—————
Cullen Kevin John Chardonnay 2025 &
Diana Madeline Cabernet Sauvignon 2024
arrive with serious pedigree…
James Halliday’s Cabernet Sauvignons of the Year with both the 2012 and 2015 Vintages.
The Saturday Australian’s Top 100 2024’s single highest pointed wine, the Vanya 2022, 99 points Huon Hooke’s Real Review Chardonnay of the Year,
Nick Stock’s equal highest pointed (99pts)and equal 3rd highest Margaret Wines in his 2021/2 500 Wine Margaret River tasting, …
Chuck in Robert Parker’s highest rated Australian Cabernet – in about 2019 - at the time, since 2006,
John Jens’ 2 of 4 highest pointed Margaret River Cabernets ever and … his equal highest pointed Australian
Chardonnay ever – and 4 in his top 15.
Some years ago Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate had awarded Cullen four of the nine highest-scoring Australian Chardonnays at the time
About Vanya Cullen OAM
Vanya Cullen Recipient of the Order of Australia (OAM) 2023 for services to oenology & viticulture.
Vanya Cullen Awarded the 2024 Jack Mann Memorial Medal for outstanding contributions to the Western Australian Wine Industry.
After winning major awards around the country and the world, Vanya was finally awarded this prestigious recognition, in front of 400+ guests in her home state of WA – by former Governor and JMM Medal Custodian, Dr Ken Michael.
The James Halliday Wine Companion’s
Winemaker of the Year 2020…
& 2022 Viticulturist of the Year.
Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine’s
Winemaker of the Year in 2000
Australian Women in Wine
Winemaker of the year 2019,
The Wine List & Menu
First Course
Cullen Elvie Clarke Sauvignon Blanc 2024, Our Price $29
…Formerly this SBS was named after that property, now it’s Elvie Clarke, Kevin John Cullen’s mother. … It’s a delightful drink. Nothing overt or harsh; there’s texture, talc-like acidity, refreshment aplenty and a lovely energy within. On a warm day, as warm as the ’24 vintage, this turns out super refreshing and delicious.
95 Points, Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion (June 2025)
Cullen Grace Madeline 2024, Our Price $34
This wine is all about perfume, flowers and a kiss of sun-touched fruit that makes it utterly enticing. Aromas of jasmine, apple blossoms, rose petals, melon and grapefruit. The textural, structured palate comes from 12 hours on the skins before pressing. So complex with mineral and stone-driven notes and an underlying power that will evolve gracefully…
96 Points, James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com (July 2025)
Haloumi, pea pesto, warm sourdough toast
Second Course
Cullen Metricup Chardonnay 2025, Our Price $42
Cullen Kevin John Chardonnay 2025, Our Price $177
The 2025 Kevin John Chardonnay leads with white pineapple and star anise, green apple and white peach. It is gently reductive and tightly coiled, its youth on show as usual at this time of its release cycle. It will be released in May 2026. In the mouth, the wine is typically spicy and concentrated and extraordinarily long through the finish. Despite the saturating concentration of flavor in the mouth, this vintage carries a levity or singularity that is most attractive. This is a quieter vintage, perhaps, and one that will evolve beautifully in time. 13.6% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. According to the technical booklet provided during the tasting, the 2025 vintage at Cullen began early after a warm, dry season and an unusual May heat spike that caused a rare double bud burst in Chardonnay, naturally reducing yields and concentrating flavor. Early bird pressure eased quickly, allowing the tiny crop to ripen with purity. Fruit was hand-harvested across two weeks from old, dry-grown vines. The grapes were hand sorted and destemmed. Certain batches of fruit spent two days in amphora while others were whole-bunch basket pressed into 50% new puncheons. It underwent daily to weekly bâtonnage during the ferment and then was left thereafter. After a wild fermentation and 100% malolactic, the wine spent a further seven months in 50% new puncheons. It was bottled without any filtration.
96+ Points, Erin Larkin, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate (January 2026)
Cullen Kevin John Chardonnay 2024, Our Price $177
Absolutely stunning. Complex, tightly wound and intense aromas of lemon peel, flint and crushed river stones with curry leaves, kaffir limes, white orchard fruit and salted nuts. The profound palate balances power and delicacy, supported by persistent, multidimensional acidity and structure. Iconic, made under unprecedented climatic conditions from the hottest, driest and earliest vintage in Margaret River. An excellent, unique and near-perfect chardonnay. One for the ages...
98 Points, James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com (July 2025)
Cullen Kevin John Chardonnay 2012, Our Price $218
The 2012 vintage in Margaret River will be remembered for its classicism and elegance. The wines across the board were harmonious and balanced, and they have proven to be aging very well in the cellar indeed. Here, the 2012 Kevin John Chardonnay shows notes of caramel and stewed apple, yellow peach, preserved citrus and blood orange. It has an opulence and richness that is all but obliterated by the presence of precise acidity and phenolic weight, and the outcome overall is one of balance and impressive harmony…
97 Points, Erin Larkin, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate (January 2026)
Grilled prawns, Nduja butter
Cullen Ephraim Malbec/ Petit Verdot 2023
he deepest, darkest colour you could ever imagine sits in the glass of this 70/30 blend of malbec and petit verdot from Cullen's Mangan vineyard. All naturally fermented and basket pressed before maturation in oak of which 35% was new for 8 months. A powerful statement with rich dark chocolate and black fruit flavours supported by firm chalky tannins and a liberal hit of oak.
94 points, Ray Jordan, WA Wine Review
Cullen Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2024
Two varieties certainly benefited from the warm season – expressive, vibrant, bright fruit concentration and life. Aromatic notes of perfume, violet, blackcurrant and a little leaf. The palate has a firm core, but it's delightfully supple and fruity while retaining the poise you expect with this combination. Only 20% new oak was used, but the wine stands tall and in balance.
94 points, Ray Jordan, WA Wine Review
Cullen Cabernet Sauvignon 2023
Poise, with fruit concentration and silky tannins that spread softly across the palate with unctuous juicy satsuma plum mulberry, cherry and cigar box. The well-orchestrated length unfolds fine grained tannins wrapping around the palate.
Cullen Wines Tasting Notes
Cullen Legacy Series Malbec 2021
Powerful and inviting, shows a harmonious balance of rose, violet, and plum. The palate unfolds into layers of cherry and wild red fruits, accented by white pepper, dark chocolate, and wild thyme. Silky tannins deliver remarkable length and persistence, giving the wine depth, focus, and finesse.
Cullen Wines Tasting Notes
Chicken Bisteya, labne
Third Course
Cullen Diana Madeline Cabernet Sauvignon 2024The 2024 Diana Madeline leads with punctuated cassis, bay leaf, sweet tobacco, nori, blackberry, dark chocolate and licorice. In the mouth, the wine is laden with graphite tannins and phenolic grip, and yet, as with all of the Diana Madelines, the texture has a finely milled, pulverized, fine quality to it. I judge this wine to be relatively open-weave in relation to its vintage peers at their same time on release, perhaps indicating that this will need less time in the cellar in order to come around for earlier drinking. To be clear, this is no indictment on its ability to age. This is very good, plush yet still herbal.
95 Points, Erin Larkin, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate (January 2026)
Cullen Legacy Series MOSH Cabernet Sauvignon 2023
Not many wineries can claim to have three flagship reds, but for Cullen, not a problem. As well as the standard Diana Madeline, not that there is anything standard about it, we have this wine and then the Vanya. All three were produced in the wonderful 2023 vintage. Obviously, the Diana Madeline is the value play, but the three wines are all different and all spectacular. They each have so much to offer that I couldn’t split them and gave them each 99. I would never argue with anyone who went the extra point, but my concern is that when Vanya tops these, as she surely will, where do you go? The blend here is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Malbec. The grapes were harvested under a full moon on 7 March, Moon Opposite Saturn Harvest, hence the MOSH. Maturation was for fifteen months in barriques, one-third of them new. Black purple in colour, the nose weaves its way through aromas of spices, mulberries, florals, blackberries, bruised plums, leather, dried herbs, charcuterie and spices. There is a hint of toasty oak still evident, but integration is proceeding well and all the wine needs is time. Seductively textured, there is wonderful length here and the wine is immaculately balanced throughout. It finishes with the finest of silky tannins. A stunning Cabernet which will drink beautifully for the next quarter of a century.
99 Points, Andrew Caillard, The Vintage Journal
Cullen Diana Madeline Cabernet Sauvignon 2022, Our Price $158
Ranked #1 of 42 Ranked 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon blends from Margaret River TheRealReview.com
Really delivers as you might expect from this excellent concentrated and powerfully framed vintage in Margaret River. It’s dominant cabernet with smaller portions of merlot, cabernet franc and malbec. Typical of this wine since switching to biodynamics, it is bright and brilliant with a nervy tense energy to drive the palate. The succulent fruit is harnessed by fine chalky tannins and neatly played oak of which 55% was new. A wine of extraordinary elegance and poise with many decades ahead of it.
98 Points, Ray Jordan, RayJordanWine.com.au
Twice cooked lamb, petite ratatouille
To finish…
Cullen Late Harvest Chenin Blanc 2024
Saffron poached pear, cream, pistachio praline
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