2015 Cullen ‘Kevin John’ Chardonnay

97 Points - Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate (2025)
I remember judging at a major wine show in Western Australia in 2016 and seeing a very large bracket of Western Australian Chardonnays from the 2015 vintage. I was staggered but the power and concentration of them as a group, and it is an impression that has left an indelible mark upon my assessment of the vintage since then. This 2015 Kevin John Chardonnay has penetrating acidity that spears through the heart of the opulent fruit in the mouth, with yellow peach and singed mango in abundance. The spice register carries across from ginger, cardamom, saffron and pepper, making for an altogether savory, nutty style of wine. 2015 had a bit of the magic swirling about it, and while most of the Chardonnays produced in the season in Margaret River are concentrated, some are extra elevated above the pack. This is one of those. For those interested, the wine has a pH of 3.5, total acidity of 8.0 grams and 13.7% alcohol. Sealed under screw cap.

97 Points - James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion
Picked on fruit and flower days, wild-fermented in French barriques for 5 months (75% new) and allowed to go through mlf. Wastes no time in asserting its blue blood ancestry with vital freshness and citrussy acidity retained despite the mlf. The layers of white flowers, white flesh stone fruit and grapefruit will become progressively richer and more complex with age, but it's so well balanced and full of life there is every reason to enjoy this chardonnay young.

97 Points - Huon Hooke, The Real Review
Light to medium straw yellow colour with a nutty, lightly toasty bouquet which features judicious oak and there are lemon, grapefruit, citrus aromas combined the straw, lightly toasted nuts, especially almond. The palate is intense and fresh, lively and tense with bright acidity driving its flavours along a taut, compact palate, which is dry and savoury and finishes very long in the mouth. A superb chardonnay which is just an infant and will richly reward even short-term cellaring.