2017 Flower Day Vanya
Cullen Vineyard, with its land, vines, wines and people… is my life’s work. Over the 3 decades of working at Cullen the love for Cabernet Sauvignon has deepened. Planted in 1971, it is the heart and soul of what we do at Cullen.
This wine of the 2017 vintage is a tribute to the land and the vines it came from. Pure expression of a great year for Cullen Wines. No additions of yeast, acid, malolactic culture nor fining. The wines grown on these ancient soils are certified biodynamic, carbon neutral and powered naturally by solar power.
Tasting Notes:
The fruit was sourced from 100% old vines on Cullen Vineyard.
Crop level at 6.9 tons per hectare and it is a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon picked on the 3rd of April 2017, which was a MOSH Flower day.
The fermentation of both primary and malolactic was natural.
The wine spent 107 days in terracotta amphorae before being basket pressed direct to 3 barrels. All of the wine was aged in French oak for 6 months, of which 66% were new. The Alcohol is 13.5%
859 bottles made
Vintage Notes
2017 Vintage Report
It was a surprise and joy beyond our expectations to experience the 2017 harvest. I think it’s fair to say that it was challenging in both the vineyard and winery, however such conditions have delivered great rewards! Spanning three months, harvest commenced with Cullen Chardonnay on the 8th February, a Moon Opposite Saturn flower day. The last harvests being the Mangan Vineyard Malbec and Petit Verdot, the dates coinciding with the full moon and flower days on the 11th and 12th of April.
It was a classic, traditional wet winter, followed by slightly cooler than average spring and summer temperatures. This allowed for excellent canopy growth, good slow accumulation of flavour and ripeness in the fruit, maintaining well composed acidity, resulting in brilliantly balanced fruit, naturally. Excellent yields across all varieties were equally matched to quality. We were hoping for better quantities of grapes with quality to match and after three years of tiny yields we finally had the quantities we were hoping for.
The 2016-17 growing season, had above average rainfall for the calendar year, 1070mm, up 17% on average, and slightly cooler, below average temperatures for the spring and summer of the 2017 vintage.
Bud-burst dates were on par, however cold and stormy weather in October contributed to a slow start. Fine conditions in November, with below average rainfall and above average temperatures, allowed the growing season to really get going, veraison only slightly delayed.
Above average rainfall for the month of March 2017, with rain falling on over 30% of the days for the month made harvest decisions tricky. However, below average rainfall and fine weather for the month of April supplied a nice finish for the 2017 vintage. We had three moon opposite Saturn events (one each month). I would say that it was a great vintage for all varieties but in particular chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and cabernet sauvignon.
2017 was a vintage of great quality and quantity.
Tasting Notes
Previous Releases
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2017 Full Moon Vanya
This wine of the 2017 vintage is a tribute to the land and the vines it came from. Pure expression of a great year for Cullen Wines.
Read moreView Tasting Notes -
2015 Vanya Cabernet Sauvignon
Cullen Vineyard, with its land, vines, wines and people… is my life’s work.
Read moreView Tasting Notes