Cullen Grace Madeline 2025 13.5% 750ml

Cullen Grace Madeline 2025 13.5% 750ml

Tasting Notes
Appearance
Light straw with golden tinges.

Aroma
A delicate perfume of white flowers alyssum and magnolia, laced with a wrapping layer of fresh honey andbeeswax. Subtle glance of pink lady apple and quince unfold gracefully, leading into fragrant orange blossom and refined citrus notes that bring brightness and lift to the bouquet.

Palate
Gracefully structured with bright acidity and a crescent minerality. Layers of unctuous dried pear and fig with a hint of mango, unveiling delicate notes of brioche and lemon curd, all lifted by subtle touches of vanilla bean.
Winemakers comments
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 is blend of Sauvignon Blanc (74%) and Semillon (26%), planted in 1976 on Cullen Estate.

Food matching
Kingfish Crudo with Lime Leaf & Finger Lime.

Cellaring potential
Drink now or 15 years.

Vinification
The fruit was harvested in between 13th and 28th of February 2025 on two fruit days and a flower day. The phenolic tension and fine tannins come in part from overnight skin contact and texture from barrel fermentation. The average in oak for the Sauvignon Blanc after natural yeast, fermentation, with no additions of acid yeast etc was 6 months in barriques, 58% of which were new.

Vintage notes
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.

Grape variety
74% Sauvignon Blanc, 26% Semillon