Vanya Cullen presents:
The Solstice Sun Legacy Dinner
The same vineyard. The same vines. Different days.
The Biodynamic calendar & the Legacy Series
Flower Day | Fruit Day | Full Moon | MOSH
the Moon Opposite Saturn Harvest
… & now the 2025 Legacy Solstice Sun
A 17 wine and 5 course dinner
16 of them Legacy Chardonnays and Vanya Cabernets, off the same vines, picked on different days.
The Legacy Chardonnays
2025 Solstice Sun (New Release) | 2024 Flower Day | 2022 Full Moon Fruit Day
2021 Flower Day | 2021 Fruit Day | 2020 Fruit Day | 2016 Fruit Day
A four vintage vertical of the Cullen Vanya Cabernet
2023 | 2022 | 2015 | 2012
Vanya Cullen presents:
The Solstice Sun Legacy Dinner
Clearly Among Australia’s Finest & Best Reviewed
Saturday, September 5th
Hosted by Vanya Cullen
Dinner: 6.30–9.30pm | 17 wines & 5 courses | $1,295.00
(Dinner is held in the Lamont’s Private Dining Room | 14 seats)
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One of the first wineries to be established in the famous Wilyabrup wine growing region of Margaret River, Western Australia. In 1971, Dr Kevin Cullen and his wife Diana planted and nurtured what has become one of Australia’s finest and most well-respected wineries.
Cullen Wines has remained a family business, and the care and respect that Kevin and Di showed for the land and their passion for producing quality wines ins a legacy that continues today. In 1998, the winery was successfully converted to organic practices and in 2004. Since taking the reins several years ago, Vanya Cullen’s passion and hard work has paved the way for the business to become a fully certified A Grade biodynamic winery and the first winery in Australia to be certified 100% carbon neutral.
Cullen Wines’ flagships, the Diana Madeline Cabernet blend and the Kevin John Chardonnay, are consistently rated nationally and internationally as the best in their respective fields. Cullen’s natural and biodynamic wines bring the purest expression of place and land on which they are grown.
A pioneer of Margaret River, Cullen Wines has always produced long-lived wines of highly individual style. The vineyard has progressed beyond organic to biodynamic certification and, subsequently, has become the first vineyard and winery in Australia to be certified carbon positive. Winemaking is in the hands of Vanya Cullen, daughter of founders Kevin and Diana Cullen; she is possessed of an extraordinarily good palate and generosity to the cause of fine wine. Vanya was awarded the Companion's inaugural Viticulturist of the Year in '22, Cullen's 50th anniversary year.
James Halliday, Wine Companion -
Vanya Cullen is one of Australia’s most awarded and respected winemakers. Her lifelong commitment to biodynamics, sustainability and uncompromising quality has earned her national and international recognition.
Major Honours
Order of Australia (OAM), 2023
Awarded for outstanding service to oenology and viticulture, a national honour recognising her leadership and contribution to Australian wine.Jack Mann Memorial Medal, 2024
Western Australia’s highest wine industry accolade, recognising exceptional and lasting service to the state’s wine community.
Industry Awards
James Halliday Wine Companion
• Winemaker of the Year, 2020
• Viticulturist of the Year, 2022
A rare dual recognition highlighting both her vineyard innovation and winemaking excellence.Gourmet Traveller WINE – Winemaker of the Year, 2000
One of the earliest national acknowledgements of Vanya’s visionary influence.Australian Women in Wine Awards – Winemaker of the Year, 2019
Celebrating trailblazing women shaping the industry.
Additional Achievements
Inducted into the Australian Business Women’s Hall of Fame, 2015
Recognised for entrepreneurial leadership and influence beyond the wine sector.Named Woman of the Year & Green Personality of the Year
Awarded by The Drinks Business (UK) for her sustainability leadership and global impact (year not specified).Margaret River Wine Association – Lifetime Achievement Award, 2025
Honouring her decades of contribution to the region’s international reputation.Finalist – The Real Review “Vigneron of the Year Australia”, 2025
Acknowledging her pioneering approach to biodynamic viticulture.
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Cullen Awards and Accolades
Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate’s
4 of their highest 9 pointed Australian Chardonnays ever at the time.James Halliday’s Cabernet Sauvignons of the Year 2012 and 2015.
Huon Hooke’s Real Review Chardonnay of the Year 2021.
Nick Stock’s equal highest pointed (99pts) highest Margaret Wines in his 2021 - at the 500 Wine Margaret tasting.
Robert Parker’s highest rated Australian Cabernet - in 2019 .
Vanya Cullen
The Real Review’s Top Wineries 2025 Awards- Vigneron of the Year 2025 Top 3 Finalist
The James Halliday Wine Companion’s - Winemaker of the Year 2020, & 2022 Viticulturist of the Year.
Gourmet Traveler WINE magazine’s - Winemaker of the Year in 2000.
Australian Women in Wine - Winemaker of the year 2019
The ‘Vanya’ Cabernet Sauvignon
The Vanya is Cullen's pinnacle red, a wine made only in exceptional vintages from the oldest vines on the estate, planted in 1971. Named for Vanya Cullen herself, it represents the purest expression of what Wilyabrup cabernet sauvignon can achieve: biodynamically farmed, wild fermented in beeswax-lined terracotta amphorae, unfined and unfiltered, and produced in tiny quantities rarely exceeding a few hundred dozen.
Since its debut in 2012, the Vanya has drawn comparisons with the world's greatest cabernets. Tonight's four-vintage vertical, spanning over a decade of winemaking, traces the evolution of this extraordinary wine across some of Margaret River's finest seasons, from the benchmark 2012 that announced its arrival with 99 points from James Halliday, through to the 2023 Flower Day which Andrew Caillard MW calls one of the finest Cabernets ever made in this country.
“Put simply, this has to be one of the finest Cabernets ever made in this country.”
Andrew Caillard MW, 99 Points, on the 2023 Vanya
Why the numbers matter. The 2023 Vanya ran to 526 bottles. The 2024 Legacy Flower Day Chardonnay to 600. Earlier Legacy Chardonnays were made in lots of 25 dozen. The Vanya is only made in vintages Vanya deems worthy, so there is no 2013, no 2014 and no 2021, and the four vintages in the glass tonight represent a hard-won run. Diana Madeline has held Exceptional status in Langton’s since 2005 and Kevin John joined the Excellent tier in 2018. The Legacy bottlings are too small and too infrequent to be classified, which is by design.
The New Legacy Releases:
2025 Cullen Legacy Series Kevin John
‘Solstice Sun’ Chardonnay
The first Solstice Sun Chardonnay, and a new designation in the Legacy Series alongside Flower Day, Fruit Day, Full Moon and MOSH. Poured on the night before any published review exists.
2024 Cullen Legacy Series Diana Madeline
‘Solstice Sun’ Cabernet Sauvignon
The first Solstice Sun Cabernet, from the hottest, driest and earliest harvest on record in Margaret River. Also unreviewed.
Vanya will talk both wines through on the night. Guests at this dinner will be among the first anywhere to taste them.
The Wine List
First Course
2025 Cullen Legacy Kevin John Solstice Sun New Release
2024 Cullen Legacy Flower Day Chardonnay
Pure magic. Complex and expressive aromas of preserved lemons, struck match, honeysuckle and beeswax with salted nuts, flint, orange blossoms and pastry. Long, compact palate with a mineral drive. Electric acidity, phenolic tension and structure bring this wine into perfect harmony. Whole-bunch carbonic maceration in beeswax-lined amphorae. Chardonnay perfection. 600 bottles produced.
99 Points, James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com
2022 Cullen Legacy Full Moon Fruit Day Chardonnay
A tighter and tenser wine than the Flower Day in the same series, yet the power is evident immediately. A wave of peach and nectarine stone fruit merging with a lemon curd richness, and a crunchy cracked seashell minerality that threads through the middle palate to sustain a long and penetrating finish. Just a beautiful wine. Cellar 20 years.
98 Points, Ray Jordan, rayjordanwine.com.au
Second Course
2021 Cullen Legacy Flower Day Chardonnay
Just 660 bottles were made of this beautiful, elegant wine. Harvested on a biodynamic flower day, whole bunches went into amphorae for two days, then pressed straight to a single new oak puncheon for fermentation and eight months maturation. Orange blossom, lime zest, lemon curd and warming nutmeg. Fruit purity and intensity are jaw-dropping. A layered, balanced, textural wine that dances across the palate.
98 Points, Cassandra Charlick, Decanter
2021 Cullen Legacy Fruit Day Chardonnay
Incredibly fruit-driven, with deeply complex notes of preserved lemons, lanolin, beeswax, ocean spray and gunsmoke. The palate is medium-bodied with wonderfully integrated notes of lime curd, shortbread, orange blossom and flint. Soaked on skins for two days in amphora before fermentation in barrel.
97 Points, James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com
2020 Cullen Legacy Fruit Day Chardonnay
Block 3 hand picked on a fruit day, whole-bunch basket pressed, fermented in concrete egg, matured six months in new French puncheons. Rosewater, pistachio, crushed cashew, yellow peach, flint and salt bush. The saline acid carves a track down the palate and the length of flavour is interminable. Concentrated, otherworldly and utterly unique.
98 Points, James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion
2016 Cullen Legacy Fruit Day Chardonnay
Wild-fermented in a ceramic egg, then French puncheons for 10 months maturation. Full but bright colour, and no additives makes the natural acidity particularly impressive. Natural winemaking at its very best. A decade-old Legacy Chardonnay is a genuine rarity.
97 Points, James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion
2014 Cullen Legacy Fruit Day Chardonnay
Truly one of the most excellent chardonnays I’ve ever tasted, unquestionably the Montrachet of Australian wine. Complex aromas of lemon confit, beeswax, wet river stones and flint with spices, toasted nuts and orange blossoms. An array of flavors. The palate shines with perfection, while the textural and ethereal mouthfeel is every chardonnay-lover’s dream. Pure magic. Drink or hold. Only 600 bottles. Screw cap.
100 Points, James Suckling, jamessuckling.com
Third Course
2024 Cullen Diana Madeline Cabernet Sauvignon
Tasted blind you could easily mistake this for one of the stellar left bank cabernet-driven red blends of Bordeaux. This benchmark comes from the earliest, driest and hottest vintage on record in Margaret River, but the biodynamic, dry-grown vines sailed through the test.
98 Points, Winsor Dobbin, gourmetontheroad.com
2024 Cullen Legacy Series Solstice Sun Cabernet Sauvignon New Release
2023 Cullen Legacy Series MOSH Cabernet Sauvignon
70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Malbec, harvested under a full moon on 7 March, the Moon Opposite Saturn Harvest, hence MOSH. Fifteen months in barriques, one-third new. Black purple in colour, the nose weaves through spices, mulberries, florals, blackberries, bruised plums, leather and dried herbs. Seductively textured with wonderful length, immaculately balanced, finishing with the finest of silky tannins.
99 Points, Andrew Caillard MW, The Vintage Journal
Fourth Course
2023 Cullen Vanya Cabernet Sauvignon
Put simply, this has to be one of the finest Cabernets ever made in this country. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, picked on a flower day and naturally fermented on skins in 300-litre terracotta amphorae for almost a month, before transferring to barrels for a further six months, 50% new. 526 bottles made. Focus, energy and great length through to near invisible silky tannins. So plush and generous and so superbly balanced that it is utterly compelling.
99 Points, Andrew Caillard MW, The Vintage Journal
2022 Cullen Vanya Cabernet Sauvignon
99 Points, Nick Ryan, The Australian
In any given year, when several thousand bottles are drained in the service of work and the pursuit of pleasure, I will consider myself blessed if I find a couple that pass across the palate and settle in my soul. This was one of them. It is cabernet at its most ethereal, a wine that somehow manages to be both minutely detailed and utterly singular at once. From The Best Australian Reds 2024.
2017 Cullen Vanya Cabernet Sauvignon
Ranked #1 of 82 2017 Cabernet Sauvignons from Margaret River
Blackberry, cassis, violets: sweeter fruit than the 2017 Full Moon bottling. The palate is softer, fruitier and more open. Chocolate towards the finish. Great elegance. A totally different wine to the Full Moon cabernet, which was harvested a few days later. Simply gorgeous.
98 Points, Huon Hooke, The Real Review
2015 Cullen Vanya Cabernet Sauvignon
Not a hiccup to be found in this wonderfully seamless wine, which maintains its intensity throughout. There is no real evidence of oak, and it offers an almost surreal complexity. The wine reflects the finesse of the 2015 vintage and has legitimate claims on the title of most elegant wine ever made in Australia.
99 Points, Ken Gargett, Wine Pilot
2012 Cullen Vanya Cabernet Sauvignon
An extraordinary wine from the oldest 1971 estate plantings, wild-fermented, matured 19 months in French oak, 47% new. Deeply coloured and highly fragrant, the palate takes you on a mesmerising ride with a mid-palate peak of pure, unalloyed cassis fruit, then a swish of integrated savoury tannins before rising again on the dark fruit line of the finish. The debut Vanya. Drink to 2057.
99 Points, James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion