CULLEN | Wilyabrup | Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot | 2018
cabernet sauvignon | merlot | cabernet franc

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The wine that we are going to review today hardly requires any introduction, as this is one of the most famous wine labels from the lands of Down Under – Wilyabrup Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2018 by Cullen Wines. The story of this famous winery started in the spring of 1965, when landlords of the Wilyabrup farm (Kevin and Diana) started considering other uses for their land. Meanwhile at the University of Western Australia, Dr. Gladstones identified the Margaret River region as having similar characteristics to the best wine regions in the world. Thus, at the invitation of Kevin and Diana, Dr. Gladstones visited their property in Wilyabrup, and the rest, they say, is history. This particular wine is a blend of three grape varieties: cabernet sauvignon (62%), merlot (37%) and cabernet franc (1%), where cabernet sauvignon forms the main body and structure, merlot adds up-front richness and rounds up the mid-palate, whereas cabernet franc delivers some much desired smoothness on the finish. The grapes are sourced from the Cullen Vineyard (65%) and Mangan Vineyard (35%), while the wine itself has been aged for 6 months in french oak barrels, of which 25% new oak. But enough theory, that said and without further ado, let’s take a look at the wine tasting results.
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Take a look at the tasting notes below and our detailed assessment of the wine:

//Visual
colour: deep & opaque ruby color
clarity: hazy ruby shades on the rim

//Olfactory
intensity: powerful & earthy
fruit profile: black fruits
__black fruits: blackcurrant | black cherry | black plum | brumble | aronia berry
fruit character: ripe & overripe

//Flavor
non fruit: herbal | spice | oak | earthy | other
__herbal: mint | eucalyptus
__spice: black pepper | cloves | nutmeg
__oak: roasted oakwood | sun-dried oak | sweet tobacco
__earthy: forest floor | mushroom | black soil | dried leaves | gravel
__other: hints of violets | wood varnish
primary layer: fruity–earthy

//Palate
sweetness: dry
acidity: high
alcohol: medium+
tannin: high
__grip: fine
balance: good
__dominant: acidity
body: round & lean | medium+

//Taste
fruit profile: red fruits
fruit character: ripe & overripe
non fruit: spice & oak & earth
finish: medium-
aftertaste: crisp & seedy

//Scoring
CULLEN | Wilyabrup | Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot | 2018
variety: cabernet sauvignon | merlot | cabernet franc
country: Australia| Western Australia
region: Margaret River | Wilyabrup
rating: 93.2

//Conclusion
maturity: developing | age for another 2 or 3 years
verdict: great | a must try wine
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This is definitely a great wine of Australia and, with a total of 93.2 points scored, this wine is right there, among the best wines we’ve rated so far. Check our complete database on the wine rating page, where you can find all the wines that we have tasted and reviewed or go to the about us page and find out more about our exquisite rating system.

Verdict: this is a quite crisp, seedy and round wine that is almost there, at the peak of its prime form, thus it is definitely ready to be enjoyed today or in the next 2 to 3 years. The wine feels lean and structured and it delivers ripe and fine-grained tannins on the palate, supported by exuberant acidity and a touch of alcoholic warmth showing through on the mouthfeel. It has a very appealing, fruity-earthy accent, with a medium+ body and a quite voluptuous palate. On the nose the wine displays ripe & overripe black fruits mixed with some noble and mesmerizing earthy notes in the foreground, supported by a nuanced, spicy-oaky background. This is definitely a wine that will go well alongside meaty dishes that are rich in natural flavour, like for example a black angus filet mignon or an old-fashioned tomahawk steak. Cheers!

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