Wine Review: Cullen Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot

CULLEN Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot
Margarget River, Western Australia
$40

A trip out to Margaret River will not only bring you close to some pretty damn lovely coastline, but also to one of Australia’s premium boutique wineries, Cullen. Under the watchful eye of Winemaker and Director, Vanja Cullen, this winery employs biodynamic practices and produces wines that are consistently in the top tier of Australian winemaking. Cullen’s two most famous drops are named after Vanja’s parents who began the estate many moons ago, Dr Kevin John and Diana Madeline.
This Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot blend is considered to be the younger sibling of the estate’s top red wine blend, Diana Madeline. It spends eight months in thirty percent new French oak barrels and displays intense aromas of violets and cassis.

The palate is much more unyielding and demonstrates the need to either decant tight red wines or let them sit opened overnight (Note: this requires great patience).

Not unsurprisingly, a day of oxygen gives the palate a plusher mouthfeel and opens the aromatics up much more. Like many of our great red wines, this needs time. Feel free to have it alongside some marinated and roasted lamb, but if I had another bottle I would put it down for the next five to ten years (Note: this requires even greater patience).

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