Cullen Wines Diana Madeline Wilyabrup Margaret River Western Australia Australia 2020 (13% ABV) – 92.7
SF | Obsidian at the core, a hint of garnet on the rim. Nose of petrichor, gunflint, and clay; the fruit hitherto concealed. The palate is firm, layered, and dense, the fruit more marked at the moment by its embryonic and somewhat monolithic character, the allusive descriptors still to take shape. Redeeming acidity lends structure; the edifice is solid, somewhat humorless and firm. Once again, this is a wine for the longer term; if only it would give a more generous glimpse of the path that it is to take! 90
AR | This is just starting to show some development in its youthful ruby, and, with an appealing perfume of dark berries and vanilla oak, just starting out on its potential development in bottle; there is a seductive blackberry fruit sweetness when you first taste, heralding a well-judged ripeness of fruit complemented by elegant, fresh acidity and remarkably supple tannins for a wine of this youth; and despite its relatively medium body and apparent precocious drinkability, it does need further time in bottle, if allowed, for those aromas and flavors to fully integrate and become the complex red that it promises to be. 95
DW | Perfumed nose, with lots of detail, red and black fruit, and a subtle, seasoning graphite element. The palate combines à point, vivid fruit in the cassis vein with a lovely streak of cool, maritime freshness, and pronounced but ripe, polished, suave tannins. Refined, tapering finish. 93