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The early summer was
cool with southerly winds dominating in this part of the season.
This gave the vintage a late start and the grapes achieved flavour
ripeness at lower sugar levels. Cyclone Vance, which created havoc
around Australia, threatened the vintage just as the reds were approaching
harvest. Fortunately, Vance diverted eastward and the reds were
saved. After this nature turned on the most glorious Indian summer
which lasted for weeks and produced one of the best red wine vintages
of the decade. A small amount of Petit Verdot from the Mangan Vineyard
was added to the wine.
Yields
Cabernet Sauvignon – 1.9 tons per acre
Merlot – 2.3 tons per acre
Cabernet Franc – 2 tons per acre
Harvest Dates
Cabernet Sauvignon – 23 March to 12 April
BE 13.1° – 14.4°
pH 3.61 – 3.80
TA 6.0 – 5.2 g/L
Merlot and Cabernet Franc – 4 March
BE 13.3°
pH 3.50
TA 5.0 g/L
Wine Treatment
The wine spent 18 months in 50% new oak.
Final Blend
74% Cabernet Sauvignon
20% Merlot
5% Cabernet Franc
1% Petit Verdot
Quantity Bottled: 2700 dozen
| Colour: |
Plum red with purple meniscus |
| Bouquet: |
An amalgam of blackcurrant, mulberry, violet and chocolatey
aromas |
| Palate: |
Lovely ripe, fine-grained tannins embrace the palate and
make a major contribution to its structure and length |
| Cellaring: |
At least 10 years |
| Food: |
Beef and venison |
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James Halliday
Margaret River arguably achieved the most successful 2000 vintage
out of the major wine regions of Australia. Although the wettest
calendar year on record the lead up to vintage was dry. Cullen,
as usual, is a top example of a contemporary Australian Blend. Halliday
below sums up the wine quite well:
"Medium to full red-purple; the bouquet is
clean and fresh, with small red berry fruit aromas and subtle oak,
half suggesting the palate may be down in power. Nothing could be
further from the truth, for there are lush red and black berry fruits
in abundance, followed by the pillars of tannin which are so much
part of the structure of this distinguished wine. A blend of 65
per cent Cabernet Sauvignon, 21 per cent Merlot, 5 per cent each
of Petit Verdot and Malbec, and 4 per cent Cabernet Franc. 94pts"
Jeremy Oliver – ONWINE REPORT
April 2002 – Wine Of The Edition
There’s something rather predictable
about the inclusion of this wine in this company, but I’m making
no apologies. After naming the 1998 vintage as the OnWine of the
Year two years ago, I’m not the only one who expected great things
in 2000 from this mature Margaret River vineyard. It’s clearly a
warmer year wine than the 1998 edition, more expressive of the "restrained
power" approach than the 1998′s sheer elegance and fineness.
Pure, almost essence-like aromas of cassis and dark plums have a
vibrant floral quality, over a background of lightly dusty, cedary
oak. Undertones of dark olives add to its complexity. Ripe and sumptuous,
yet never jammy or out of shape, the palate is exceptionally long
and seamless, with intense juicy dark cherry/plum flavour, creamy
oak and tobaccoey merlot influence beautifully wound in by powder-dry
tannins. A hint of bitumen attests to the warmth of the vintage,
while the wine’s compactness and balance belies its strength.
Marking hard, I rate it 19.3 (drink 2012-2020+), but wouldn’t be
surprised to upgrade it in the future.
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