2012 Cullen Diana Madeline Cabernet Merlot

97 Points - Gary Walsh, The Wine Front

“Hang on to your hats boys and girls, Cullen are back in the game. Those ‘other’ critics may have gone large on what I’d like to call ‘the experimental vintages’ between 2008 and 2011, but trust me, this is the one. It’s hit the sweet spot. The right alcohol. The right ripeness. The righteous. The right stuff. The nexus of Margaret River, Cabernet and Cullen – gone boom. Release July 2014. Perfect ripeness. Floral perfume, regional seaweed, aniseed and bay leaf, mixed berries – red, black and blue – backed with beautiful mocha and cedar oak. Medium bodied, super fine dense ‘graphite’ tannin – to the tooth – freshness, fruit weight, flavour, elegance and length. All here. Not a hair out of place, and yet, has character and charisma. Vivacious. Not trying too hard. Pitch perfect Margaret River Cabernet. A wine for Australia to be proud of.”

96 Points - Erin Larkin, Wine Advocate

“The 2012 Diana Madeline hails from a classical season in Margaret River; it's an elegant Cabernet vintage and one that has continued to positively evolve in bottle since harvest. The nose is sweet-fruited, which paves the way for the ultra-refined, balanced and Zen palate, which has cherries and graphite, kelp, iodine, crushed shells and bramble. Superb. This fine blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 7% Cabernet Franc matured for 19 months in French oak, 38% new. 13.2% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.”

96 Points - James Suckling, jamessuckling.com

“Still very fresh and youthful blueberry, mulberry and blackcurrant with some chocolate and sweet earth. Gently leafy with some dried forest wood, this is still very fresh. The palate is super fine and elegant, very focused and linear, with a core of succulent, fresh dark-berry flavor that runs along a central spine. So impressive and really poised. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold.”