The producer
Doctors seemed to dominate the establishment of now-famous vineyards in Australia back in the 1960s and 70s … Lake’s Folly in the Hunter Valley, Mount Mary in the Yarra Valley, and Moss Wood and Cullen in Margaret River among the most famous. Spurred by the eminent scientist Dr John Gladstone’s advice that Margaret River was suitable for high quality wines, Dr Kevin Cullen, with his wife Diana, became one on the pioneers of the area planting grapes in 1971 as well as running cattle and sheep.
The area proved the perfect sanctuary for the complete range of Bordeaux grape varieties, and these became the core of the vineyard, with the later addition of Chardonnay. His wife succeeded him followed by their very talented winemaking daughter Vanya. Vineyards have long been certified organic and biodynamic, with the best fruit destined for red and white dedicated to the founding couple – Diana Madeline for the Cabernet blend and Kevin John for the Chardonnay – Australian classics both.
The wine
Cullen Diana Madeline (originally labelled as Cabernet Merlot) is dedicated to Di Cullen who took the reins from her husband and continued Cullen’s rise in viticultural fame. Now mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with a small portion of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec this is an exquisite medium-bodied red that ages for decades.
