2010 Cullen Diana Madeline Cabernet Merlot

James Halliday Top 100 of 2012

Cullen is an iconic Margaret River winery and the Diana Madeline is their flagship red wine. It is famed for its quality and consistency, is sought after by collectors world-wide and is a worthy regional benchmark. It is a classic Cabernet Sauvignon dominant Bordeaux blend grown on an exemplary vineyard. The Cullen vineyard has been certified both Organic and Biodynamic since 2004. (canterburywines)

98 Points - Ray Jordan, West Weekend
The combination of terroir, early picking, biodynamics, aged vines and sympathetic winemaking makes such a strong statement. Slightly more robust than recent vintages and as such may prove an even greater crowd pleaser. It is a stunning blend of all five Bordeaux varieties. Silky, effortless and graceful. Will cellar for decades. Perfect with rack of lamb.

97 Points - Tyson Stelzer, Wine Taste
2010 DM makes a vital statement: its phenomenal predecessor was no fluke. At thirty-nine years of age and privileged to fanatical biodynamic care, the Cullen vineyard is in a remarkable place indeed. At a tantalising 13.0% alcohol, elegance meets the strictest definition. Utterly enticing, profoundly pure, effortlessly seamless and earth-shakingly long-lived. Margaret River graphite, high cocoa dark chocolate texture and gravelly tannins support pin-point exact violet and blackcurrant fruit. For the record, 77% cabernet sauvignon, 10% merlot, 6% petit verdot, 4% malbec and 3% cabernet franc – but such is its seamless coherence, you'd never know it was a blend. Diana would be proud.

97 Points - Jeremy Oliver
A wonderfully complete, elegant and willowy wine of exuberant brightness, freshness and exemplary balance. Its deep pristine perfume of violets, cassis, mulberries, dark cherries is tightly knit with fresh cedar/chocolate/vanilla oak. Medium to full-bodied, it's deeply layered with pristine flavours of small berries, briar and nuances of dried herbs, underpinned by dusty, gravelly tannins, steadily building power and intensity before finishing long, supple and silky. Drink: 2030-2040.