2019 Vanya
“Cullen Vineyard, with its land, vines, wines and people… is my life’s work. Over the 5 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.”
100% cabernet sauvignon and hand harvested under the full Moon on a fruit day, and Holi Day – the Hindu festival of colour.
The fruit was sorted, destemmed, and fermented on skins for 10 days, then pressed into new barriques for 6 months. This wine is grown on certified biodynamic, carbon neutral soils, and is a perfect expression of the purity of cabernet sauvignon.
Vintage Notes
The defining weather event in the 2019 vintage was the frost in October, which caused a 60% yield reduction in our chardonnay, this was due to timing and the chardonnay being and early variety to go through budburst.
The weather conditions were relatively kind during the growing season although cooler, and harvest was short and sweet. This couldn’t have been better, as rains fell heavily shortly after harvest finished at Cullen’s. We are very excited about the quality of wines from the 2019 harvest, typical of a low yield year. Because of the cooler conditions there was no food for the birds and nets were being taken off as we were harvesting to prevent damage. If you didn’t have nets there was no harvest as the birds were starving. A low year for honey also as no blossom on the gum trees and cooler conditions.
Winemaker Notes
Vineyard: 100% Cullen Vineyard
Varieties: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Harvest: 20th March. Full Moon fruit day. Holi Day (Hindu festival of colour).
Oak: 100% new oak for 6 months
Alcohol: 13%
Tasting Notes
Reviews
Author: Gary Walsh Publication: The Wine Front Date: 19th May, 2022 Score: 96“The subtitle is Full Moon, Fruit Day. These Vanya wines are quite different to the Diana Madeline. This Vanya wine is a bit more loose knit and effusive than the standard bottling. Big price tag now, though as I always say, I’d rather this than Grange or Hill of Grace. I tasted this at the winery last year, and gave it a big score. I liked it better than the 2018, which is kind of typical of me…
Cocoa, red capsicum, perfume and baking spices, blackcurrant and boysenberries. Medium-bodied, fine silty tannin, the more time you spend with it the-better-it-gets sort of wine. A graphite feel, unforced, with raspberry and cocoa, crisp red berry acidity, and an earthy yet succulent finish of perfume and impeccable length. A ‘mineral’ feel, and kind of understated, yet powerful, with lavish stony tannin to close. Very fine, lacy wine of delicacy and finesse. It needs time in the cellar, I think, to show its best.”
Author: Ray Jordan Date: June, 2022 Score: 98This as pure an expression of cabernet as you could imagine. Spent six months in new French barriques and there was no fining, yeast additions, and acid additions. Compelling and engaging on the nose with a bright violet and red fruit aroma with a little of that vineyard ironstone character. The palate is plush with such powerful yet refined fruit expression support with fine chalky tannins and neatly layered oak. There's a slink and silky feel that almost, but not quite, conceals the tremendous power here.
Author: Fergal Gleeson Publication: Great WIne Blog Date: 5th June. 2022 Score: 5 stars"Vanya Cabernet 2019 (Full Moon Fruit Day) is light on it’s feet and pretty in a way not many flagship Cabernets are. It all starts with the fruit. “Cullen Vineyard is my life’s work,” Vanya Cullen says. She has worked in the vineyard planted in 1971 for 5 decades. The purity of the juice and the deliciousness of the tannins are immediately apparent. I find myself writing that Cullens Wines are ‘distinctive’ every time! Never more so than here. You could say it has a Pinot like sensibility in that it leads with delicacy rather than power. It’s jazz music , it’s rarefied, it’s artisanal, it’s pretty cool actually! Vanya 2019 is a wine you’ll fall in love with."
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Previous Releases
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2017 Flower Day 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 -
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