2024 Grace Madeline
This wine is named after Grace Madeline, Diana Madeline’s mother. Grace, originally from London, lived most of her life in Tasmania and was a suffragette, who loved nature as well as being mother to three daughters.
Grace Madeline wine is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc (85%) and Semillon (15%), planted on their own roots in 1976 on Cullen Estate. These vines are certified biodynamic and carbon neutral.
The fruit was harvested in February 2024 between 2nd and the 11th of March on 2 fruit days and one flower day. The phenolic tension and fine tannins come in part from overnight skin contact and texture from barrel fermentation and concrete egg fermentation. The average time in oak for the Sauvignon Blanc after natural yeast, fer-mentation, with no additions of acid yeast etc. was 8 months in barriques, 63% of which were new. The Semillon component was tank fermented.
Vintage Notes
2024 vintage was the hottest, driest and earliest harvest on record. Rainfall turned off like a tap at the end of September 2023, with nominally no rain until the season broke in May 2024. Unseasonable warmth all through the growing season combined with heatwaves in January meant harvest started early and was over extremely quickly.
But with sunshine comes flavour and 2024 does not disappoint in fruit weight and concentration. No rain and plenty of sun means wines hit their optimal ripeness (albeit earlier than expected!) and created wines with great depth of flavour and extract.
The ample marri blossom and dry conditions meant both bird and disease pressure was low, the main thing keeping us awake at night was the water stress on our dry grown vines. Both whites and reds show opulence and power that so far show great promise for the future.
Winemaker Notes
Vineyard: 100% Cullen Vineyard
Varieties: 85% Sauvignon Blanc, 15% Semillon
Harvest: Picked between 2nd February to the 11th February pm 2 flower days and 1 fruit day.
Oak: 8 months in 63 new oak
Alcohol: 13%
Tasting Notes
$50.00
Previous Releases
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2018 Grace Madeline
As usual, this blend contains a greater volume of Sauvignon Blanc than Semillon, which reflects the outstanding qualities of the fruit produced by the former variety on the Cullen Vineyard.
Read moreView Tasting Notes -
2017 Cullen Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc Semillon
As usual, this blend contains a greater volume of Sauvignon Blanc than Semillon, which reflects the outstanding qualities of the fruit produced by the former variety on the Cullen Vineyard.
Read moreView Tasting Notes