CULLEN Diana Madeline Cabernet Merlot 2009

Robert Parker Score: 93 points

Reviewer: Lisa Perrotti-Brown31/08/2011

Coming from a single vineyard planted in 1971 and 1976, the 2009 Diana Madeline is a blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, 4% Merlot and 2% Malbec. It was aged for around 13 months in French barriques, 55% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it offers expressive aromas of ripe cassis, freshly crushed blackberries and blueberries over cloves, damp loam, hung meat, grated mace, dried Mediterranean herbs and a dusting of dark chocolate powder. Medium bodied and wonderfully graceful on the palate, it has crisp acid, firm finely grained tannins and a long earthy finish. It really needs another year or two in bottle to open-out, drinking best 2013 to 2023+.