Cullen Kevin John Chardonnay 2023
- 98
- $180
- Drink by: 2024-2039
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From the excellent 2023 vintage in Margaret River, the Kevin John Chardonnay is Cullen’s ‘standard’ Chardonnay, and what a wine. Never less than thrilling these days, the fruit for this wine was harvested over a three-week period then whole bunch pressed before fermentation in a mix of vessels – biodynamic puncheons, amphorae and a concrete egg. Eight months maturation in the puncheons, 80% of which were new, the wine is 100% Gin Gin clone. Balance, elegance and complexity, even at this early stage, are the hallmarks here. Great energy, the nose gives us notes of nuts/cashews, peaches, stonefruit, a hint of riverstones and orange blossoms. Vanilla, florals, honeycomb and a hint of crisp pear, the focus here is superb, through to an impressively long finish. Expect this to drink superbly for at least fifteen years.
Ken was born and bred in Brisbane, Queensland. He had a non-trendy, perfectly happy childhood, in a family convinced alcohol meant instant condemnation to Hades. But a break fishing on the Great Barrier Reef, and some good wine, started a serious obsession that eventually took over. It did not stop Ken being chastised later for drinking Pol champagne, disgusted he’d drink anything made by a Cambodian dictator. Now, Ken mostly writes on wine, champagne and spirits for various newspapers, magazines and books, but is perhaps best known for his work in The Courier Mail. He also has a little sideline writing on cigars, fishing, travel and food. When not writing, fly-fishing for trout in NZ or bonefish on the flats of Cuba, travelling or smoking cigars, he is no doubt following a variety of sporting teams – the occasionally glorious Queensland Reds rugby, the dysfunctional Washington Redskins, the dodgy Arsenal and especially revels in the world restored to its proper axis with the return of the Ashes to their rightful home.
