2020 Cullen Diana Madeline Cab Merlot 750Ml Bottle

17+ - Richard Hemming MW, Jancis Robinson
"Supremely pure cassis on the nose. Fine-grained tannins with high acid. Deep, succulent core fruit on the palate – speaks of its pedigree. Long, satisfying finish."

95 points - Erin Larkin, Wine Advocate
"The 2020 Diana Madeline is both pure and muscular in the glass, with layers of cassis and dark chocolate, bramble and clove, aniseed and fennel. Pastrami nuances create dimension on the palate, as the ductile tannins provide chew and shape the finish. It matured for 13 months in French oak, a mixture of puncheons and barriques. The fruit spent between 10 and 99 days on skins (average 27) and comprises a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec. As always with this Diana Madeline wine, there is no additions of yeast, acid or malolactic acid in its production. 13.1% alcohol, sealed under screw cap"

The 2020 Diana Madeline vintage was hot and dry. For the old block cabernet sauvignon vines these drought like conditions resulted in the vines producing small berries, and hence the vines were low yielding – .i.e. bunch numbers were average but with low berry weight. This produced a wine of elegance, balance and perfume… effortless. The blend is 92% cabernet sauvignon, 4% merlot, 3% cabernet franc, and 1% malbec. Closed tanks, open fermenters, barrels and amphora were all used in the fermentation process, and the period of skin contact time lasted from 10 to 99 days depending on the batch of wine. This wine spent 13 Months in 50% new oak in a mixture of barriques and puncheons, with some biodynamic oak featuring.