Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon “Grace Madeline” Margaret River 2020 – Cullen

To produce the Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon “Grace Madeline” Margaret River Cullen the fruit was hand harvested and barrel-fermented using indigenous yeasts, with no acid additions and limited fining. 45% of the Sauvignon Blanc was matured in French oak (7% new) for three months, adding complexity and depth to the wine.

Grace Madeline is the new name for the Cullen Vineyard Sauvignon Semillon. It has been renamed from the 2018 vintage in honour of Diana Madeline’s mother, Grace, who was born in 1895 in London. A vocal and impassioned Suffragette, she was involved in many charities and campaigned for women’s rights. Fruit is sourced exclusively from the Cullen Vineyard, planted to Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon in 1976. The ancient soils are composed of granite and red, gravely sandy loam, overlaying lateritic subsoils. Dry-farmed Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon are trained on a Lyre trellis due to their high vigour, giving a great area for the leaves and fruit to grow on and enabling fruit to reach proper physiological ripeness.

Cullen Wines is a certified biodynamic, carbon neutral and naturally powered estate, with their philosophy summed up in three simple words; ‘Quality, Integrity and Sustainability’. It is one of the oldest and most awarded family wineries in Wilyabrup, in Western Australia’s famous Margaret River region. First established in 1971 by Dr Kevin and Diana Cullen and now run by their daughter Vanya, the winery has built an outstanding reputation for fine certified biodynamic wines that receive critical national and international acclaim. In 2019, celebrating 30 years at the helm, Vanya received double Winemaker of the Year honours at both the Australian Women in Wine Awards and the Halliday Wine Companion Awards.