Cullen Kevin John Flower Day Chardonnay 2022
- 97
- $350
- Drink by: 2024-2039
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The other special release Chardonnay from the 2022 vintage was picked on Valentine’s Day, which happened to be a full flower day. Whole bunches went into clay amphorae, lined with beeswax then pressed after two days on skins. The juice was then transferred to a flower day puncheon (meaning the puncheon was coopered on a flower day) for a stint of four months maturation after fermentation. This is punchy, focused and concentrated. There are notes of lemons, nuts, figs, peaches, touches of honeysuckle and an array of stonefruit. There is a fine line of saline acidity. Impeccably balanced and seriously good length, this is so exciting now, but well cellared, it has ten to fifteen years ahead.
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.
