Vintage 2025 at Cullen began in early February after a warm, dry growing season capped off by unusually warm conditions in May 2024 that triggered a rare “double budburst” in the Chardonnay – some shoots tried to wake up before winter, then again after, naturally reducing fruitfulness and leaving us with tiny crops and beautifully concentrated fruit. The was some bird pressure early, but the blossom came through halfway, and the birds seemed to disappear overnight.
The result is a set of whites with lifted perfume, texture and depth, slightly softer natural acidity than 2024 making them delicious even in their youth, and a Kevin John Chardonnay that looks especially powerful and refined.
There was no pause before the reds rolled in, and the long, even ripening delivered another brilliant season for Cabernet: dense, savoury and classically structured. Across the board, 2025 trades the sheer heat and power of 2024 for classical perfume and balance. These wines will drink beautifully now and evolve gracefully in the cellar. For more on the 2025 vintage click HERE
'The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. A warmer than usual vintage, and dry one, resulted in very small crops, so lovers of this wonderful Chardonnay will need to move quickly to ensure they do not miss out. The good news is that the “tiny crops”meant concentrated fruit and a high quality vintage. It does seem that all Margaret River ever does is provide variations on the theme of high quality vintages. Not that we are complaining. As always, harvesting is dictated by the biodynamic calendar and occurred over five different Fruit and Flower harvest days, with two batches harvested on a Moon opposite Saturn Full Moon event. Mock all you like, but the results are evident for all to see in the bottle. A portion of the fruit went into amphorae for two days’ skin contact, while the remainder was whole bunch pressed to puncheons for a wild fermentation (as in a fermentation simply left to nature, with no inoculated yeast additions). Maturation was for seven months in puncheons, with 50% of them new oak. Shimmering lemon gold in colour, this is certainly youthful but wonderfully balanced and seriously concentrated. On the nose, we have notes of stone fruits, jasmine, peaches, nectarines and beautifully integrated oak. The structure is seamless and there is a fine line of acidity running the full length of the wine. Ideally, leave this for two to three years and then drink it over the following ten to twelve. It really does need a little bit of time to completely come together. The intensity is maintained throughout, and the wine is seriously persistent. Notwithstanding the need for a little more time, this is yet another exquisite addition to the Kevin John series. Stunning stuff.'
98 POINTS - Ken Gargett, Winepilot
"Pale colour. Fresh grapefruit, nougat, vanilla, roasted almond aromas with hints of limes. Beautifully balanced and classical in structure with ample grapefruit, lemon curd, lime flavours,
fine slinky textures, lovely mid-palate creaminess, underlying marzipan, roasted cashew notes and fresh long saline/supple acidity. Builds up chalky/ al dente at the finish with persistent minerally notes. Delicious to drink with superb purity and flow. Seven months maturation in 50% puncheons. Drink now – 2035+ 13.5% alc"
97 POINTS - Andrew Caillard MW
