2008 Diana Madeline is another example of Cullen’s emerging ability to achieve physiological ripeness at lower alcohols – this wine weighs-in at just 12.5%. Trust me, I was looking for signs of greenness and astringency, but they just weren’t there. Composed of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Merlot, it was matured 14 months in French barriques, 48% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, this wine reveals wonderfully expressive Cabernet aromas of warm cassis, mocha, smoked duck, anise, cardamom, cinnamon stick and freshly tilled loam. Crisp, medium bodied, intense and tight-knit, this is a relatively soft textured vintage with just above a medium level of very fine tannins. The finish is satisfyingly long. Drink it 2012 to 2020+.
An outspoken proponent of Biodynamics, Vanya Cullen converted fully in 2006 and makes a strong argument for the methods and philosophy with her wines. When I met with her, one of her first major points is that their conversion to Biodynamics appears to allow physiological ripeness to happen earlier, meaning they can harvest earlier and make slightly lighter styles. The prime examples of this are her excellent Semillon Sauvignon blends – both 2009s came in beautifully flavorsome at just 11.5% alcohol.
Importer: Old Bridge Cellars, Napa, CA; www.oldbridgecellars.com
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