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.
This is a blend of roughly three-quarters Sauvignon Blanc and the remainder Semillon. The Sauvignon Blanc was wild fermented, with about 58% new oak barriques, while the Semillon was kept in stainless steel for its fermentation. It was wild fermented with no additions of yeast or acid. And the Sauvignon Blanc spent an extra six months in new oak barriques before it was ready for bottling. - 96 points, Ray Jordan
