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This wine, together
with the 1997, are the best Chardonnays yet made at Cullen Wines.
The quality largely reflects the influence of the perfect conditions
that led up to vintage. The cool even temperatures during summer
have resulted in the production of a wine which exhibits a perfect
balance between fruit flavours and acid and has great suppleness.
The intensity of the fruit was also enhanced by the very low yields
of only 1/4 ton to the acre. The fruit was picked at levels ranging
from 12.6 to 14º Baumé to ensure that the flavours of
the wine were complex. The wine was fermented using wild yeast and
60% underwent malolactic fermentation. All of the wine was matured
for nine months in new French oak.
| Colour: |
Medium straw with green tinges |
| Bouquet: |
Fresh and rich lemon and guava fruit aromas
are complemented by the presence of subtle background oak |
| Palate: |
The fruit characters on the bouquet flow through
on to the palate which is perfectly integrated. The delicious
supple and creamy flavours in the middle palate lead into a
long and very persistent finish |
| Cellaring: |
10 years |
| Food: |
All types of seafood, pasta, chicken and veal |
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Uncorked Spring
Wine Guide 2004
Huon Hooke and Ralph Kyte-Powell
"Vanya Cullen’s Chardonnay is superb. The ’02
is a reserved character, subtle and refined with elaborate citrus.
Melon, honeyed, nutty and creamy characters that are truly delicious.
It has lovely smooth complexity, great balance, length and freshness.
Food: grilled marron or scampi. Ageing: one to five years"
Philip Rich The Australian Financial Review
Magazine
31 December 2004
"One of Margaret River’s – and indeed Australia’s – finest
wine producers, it is not just the superb cabernet that deserves
all the gongs. The chardonnay continues to improve each year as
Vanya Cullen fine-tunes the style, and the 2002 – the product of
extremely low yields and a cool year – is, along with the 1997,
the best Cullen chardonnay yet. Delicate citrus and stone-fruit
aromas, along with some vanilla from well-handled and new French
oak, lead onto a palate that has considerable concentration and
length. Equally, the palate has finesse and superb acidity ensuring
that this wine will continue to improve for many years to come."
The Penguin Good
Australian Wine Guide
Ralph Kyte-Powell and Huon Hooke
As usual, at two years of age this is still a shy, undeveloped
chardonnay. This year a portion has screw-cap to help keep it even
fresher, but it has the makings of a very fine wine given a little
time in bottle. It really is very subtle: citrus and light-honeyed
melon fruit, interwoven with lightly nutty, creamy elements, and
dressed up in carefully measured spicy oak. The palate is middling
in body, long finishing and deliciously appetising. Try it with
grilled Western Australia marron.
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