Description
2015 Cullen Diana Madeline Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 1% Malbec and 1% Cabernet Franc. All fruit used for this wine was hand picked from the Cullen Vineyard and harvested between 24th February and 7th March. The primary fermentation took an average 12 days with an average of 22 days on skins. The 2015 Cullen Diana Madeline Cabernet Merlot was aged for 17 months in barriques, of which 66% were new.
Cullen Diana Madeline Cabernet Merlot is one of the finest Australian Cabernet Merlots. The wine is generally a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. Prior to the 2001 vintage this wine was simply known and labelled ‘Cullen Cabernet Merlot’. In 1966 Dr. Kevin Cullen and his wife Diana Cullen planted a trial one acre vineyard on their farm at Wilyabrup in the Margaret River. The vineyard now covers about 70 acres.
Diana Madeline Cabernet Merlot is made from only the best barrels, the fruit coming from estate vines that were planted on the farm from 1971. The fruit is hand picked at optimum ripeness and flavour development. Anywhere between 10% and 50% of the wine is partially barrel fermented; the remainder is given extended maceration before further maturation in 30% new, tightly-grained French oak barriqués (total maturation time is about 18 months). Cullen Diana Madeline Cabernet Merlot is known for its extraordinary fruit definition and classic tannin structure.
