Still quite fresh - a classically WA Bordeaux blend. Dark fruited and nicely evolved. Good complexity. Plentiful fruit but nicely elegant with some savoury nuances. Good structure
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Appearance: colour is still good. Core colour is dark cherry with a hint of purple, ruby at rim.
Nose: very seductive - initially cassis, some roasted meats that then faded, restrained vanilla oak, olives, violets and kirsch liqueur. Some red fruits (raspberries and redcurrants) emerged later.
Palate: medium to full bodied. Has a desirable concentrated intensity but is not overpowering. Silky tannins, smooth long finish. Outstanding. Has another 5+ years to go imo.
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Just labeled as the Diana Madeline; dull garnet core, clarity, some sediment; tobacco, cedar, red currants, earth, green pepper, more Bordeaux-like except for glycerin top note; similar notes on palate, lovely texture and complex flavors; yum.
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Cork. 13.5% alc. Decanted 30 minutes. Slight bricking at the edge. Plum, mint chocolate, cola, dried herbs, earth. Elegant and supple mid-weighted palate. Nice interplay between dark fruit and more developed flavours of leather and cola. Tannins are present, but are fine and only slightly drying. Finish is medium at best. Well into it's drinking zone now.
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My last bottle of the 2000. This has developed considerably since I last had this wine 3 years ago. Slow ox'ed for about 3h and then drank over another 90 min or so. Would suggest a short decant as this needs air beyond the slow ox to open up, as it is initially thin on the mid palate. But even when it opens up, the fat fruit of 3 years ago is gone as the wine has developed into a fine, medium bodied Bordeaux blend, style-wise surprisingly closer to old- than new world in my eyes. Some leather notes and a touch of menthol blend nicely with the dark fruit. Only the short to medium finish stands in the way of a higher score. Would drink now as tannins are fully resolved and the wine also does not posses the fruit concentration to benefit from further aging in my eyes.
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During dinner, didn't make any formal notes. Similar expression as my notes in 2014 but this bottle had more depth and complexity. Still going strong, this time 91 points.
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My last bottle of this wine, and so of course the best...
Aging from the outside in, it's now a core of fruit wrapped in old leather, cherry infused tobacco in an elegant room. It is an absolute pleasure to drink now, with or without food.
Brick red at center. Some fading to orange at rim. Roasted cherry and plum aromas, along with shoe polish and leather. A hint of Cab greenness. Bright acid on the front, with a haunting finish. Still very alive. Sourced from the winery.
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Pleasant nose with blackberries, cherry, cacao powder, coffee beans, nutmeg, iron and hint of lavender. Palate typical Cullen, elegance with notes of chocolate bar, some mint and eucalyptus. Smooth tannins in the finish. Nice wine but maybe bit too smooth and elegant for me, missing depth.
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Opened as I felt like something else than Bdx. But I was not too daring as this is a proper Bdx blend with 65% CS, 21% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, 5% Malbec and 4% CF. Understand this became the Diana Madeline with the 2001 vintage (which I am planning to try next). Poured half of bottle into decanter and drank over 3h. Medium to dark garnet. Initially the oak feels a bit overwhelming and out of balance but settles down and integrated better after 90 min. Dark fruit, forest floor, oak, and again that cool menthol which separates it from a Bdx. Very smooth, even fat on the palate despite the indicated medium alcohol (13.5% as per label). Very fine, barely noticeable tannins. Nice medium (+) finish, again with that interesting cool menthol note. This is a very good wine. If it was a 2000 Bordeaux, I would say it will develop even some more complexity with another 2 years of bottle age, but my experience with how good Aussie Cabernet Merlot ages is very limited... 91-92
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Absolutely stunning wine. Very soft, silky, completely integrated tannins. Elegant and approachable. So happy to have some more bottles in my cellar. (A)
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Chocolate, black fruits on the nose. Palate is a little underwhelming - medium bodied, but a little thin. High toned. A dominant cola taste on the palate, with little depth. The tannins have smoothed out. The second day, there appeared to be a little more depth to the flavours.
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Still quite unevolved. This is showing lots of red and blakc fruit, and some light oak notes. One thing that is evolved is the tannin level, which is quite low and soft. So I guess it's a drink now, but there's no tertiary aromatics whatsoever. Weird but tasty.
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Blind Tasting - 2000 Vintage in Australia; 6/30/2012-7/1/2012: The nose shows pepper, blackcurrant, aniseed and some vanilla cola tinged oak. Palate is quite good, tannins have started to soften and there is a fresh lift to the fruit that makes it quite appealing to drink. It doesn't have the depth or class of the other wine tasted in this bracket but should continue to develop over the next 5 years.
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This wine has never disappointed me. Forward nose of dark red berries, chocolate, earthy notes and just a hint of floral notes. The palate is balanced, intense, with good acidity to carry the fruit, lots of complexity and all the flavours are still bright. Although the tannins completely integrated this wine has still a long ways to go. Try again in three years or so.
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Decanted and served at room temperature. Dark red color, plenty of old world on the nose, and plenty of new world on the palate. Really nice combination if you are ready for it. I enjoyed it, found it easy with food, although would like a bit more structure to it. Drink now. A-
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Phenomenal. Decanted several hours in advance of dinner, and was only getting better by the time the bottle was finished. Incredibly complex and very well balanced with layers of leather, tobacco, forestal earthy notes and floral elements around a core of black cherries and currants, with grainy tannins and bright acids underneath giving it lift.
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Dark cherry red and not much hint of brick around the rim. The nose is dark cherry, raspberry, wood, forest undergrowth and hint of dark chocolate. The palate is very intense dark fruit, nice acidity provides balance but tannins still dominate. Long finish. Drinks well but will be better in 3 to 5 years.
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Really disappointing compared to my last bottle. Bright red fruits, plums and faint floral notes with a touch of savoury earth underneath, but this feels a little disjointed and awkward with some volatile acidity present and a little heat on the back. After a couple of days in the fridge this improves a good deal with the heat disappearing and the fruit, earthy elements and acidity integrating together a little better.
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Popped and poured, allowing 30min of breathe time in glass. Little sediment. Great cork. Beautiful, beautiful bordeaux-esque wine. Evokes images of the Karri forest, kangaroos and that Margaret River musk. Drinking extremely well now. Fabulous. Wish I had a case.
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Clear dark red colour. Very floral on the nose at first with bright cherry and red berries, earth and some faint toasty notes. With time flavours of cedar, spice and leather emerge. Medium bodied and elegant on the palate with more bright red fruited flavours mingled with cedar, earth and leather, fine grained tannins and lively acidity. Clean, long finish. Superb, and I'm glad I have more.
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Aromatically elegant, yet packed with cherry fruit, earth & subtle toast & powdery/floral notes. On the palate it is finely balanced, shows fruit from first taste all the way through the finish, elements of cedar & adds a pleasing bitter note on the end. This is very Bordeaux-esque & really a world-class expression of the Bordeaux blend style. Delicious.
Another collaborative note from Salil "I will bring Aussie wine that you will drink & like" Benegal & David "Are you trying to mess with my head" Bueker
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Another elegant, beauty from Cullen. Sweet plum and cassis fruit aromas laced with lavender and violets. It has a heart of sweet, dark fruit and is threaded with a little tobacco. The oak imparts a little chestnut and cedar and acts very much as a backdrop on which the pure fruits play. It finishes with breezy acidity and is long and fine.
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A lovely bottle of wine from the beginning. Aromas of clay eucalyptus, raspberry, rose petal, vanilla, herbs and more that went on and on. Slightly bricking at the edges, lively acidity that was matched by the tannins … pity the fruit was a little subdued, but gained more weight after a couple of hours. Nicely balanced, even if lacking a bit on the back palate, soft and round. But that incredible nose … wow.
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Very expressive nose of ripe fruits upon opening this bottle. Agree with previous note that this tastes like a French/Aussie hybrid. Very restrained. Soft tannins. Was not as nice a couple hours after opening. Just a touch out of balance, the finish becoming distracting. Very solid wine, although a little unsure about the price/quality ratio.
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Nice Bordeaux blend. Still fruity, with herbal notes. Tannins well integrated. Probably near peak, really drinking well at this time. Nice balance, somewhere between France and California in character. Wish I had more.
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1/23/2024 - nwebstar Likes this wine: 95 Points
Still quite fresh - a classically WA Bordeaux blend. Dark fruited and nicely evolved. Good complexity. Plentiful fruit but nicely elegant with some savoury nuances. Good structure
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2/21/2021 - BAJRiley Likes this wine: 94 Points
Appearance: colour is still good. Core colour is dark cherry with a hint of purple, ruby at rim.
Nose: very seductive - initially cassis, some roasted meats that then faded, restrained vanilla oak, olives, violets and kirsch liqueur. Some red fruits (raspberries and redcurrants) emerged later.
Palate: medium to full bodied. Has a desirable concentrated intensity but is not overpowering. Silky tannins, smooth long finish. Outstanding. Has another 5+ years to go imo.
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2/1/2020 - ocfriday Likes this wine: 92 Points
Brickish, hints of spice, nice long finish and complexity. Drink now.
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5/5/2018 - Rezy13 Likes this wine:
Just labeled as the Diana Madeline; dull garnet core, clarity, some sediment; tobacco, cedar, red currants, earth, green pepper, more Bordeaux-like except for glycerin top note; similar notes on palate, lovely texture and complex flavors; yum.
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4/30/2018 - fizz wrote:
Cork. 13.5% alc.
Decanted 30 minutes. Slight bricking at the edge. Plum, mint chocolate, cola, dried herbs, earth. Elegant and supple mid-weighted palate. Nice interplay between dark fruit and more developed flavours of leather and cola. Tannins are present, but are fine and only slightly drying. Finish is medium at best. Well into it's drinking zone now.
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12/10/2016 - pavel_p Likes this wine: 91 Points
My last bottle of the 2000. This has developed considerably since I last had this wine 3 years ago. Slow ox'ed for about 3h and then drank over another 90 min or so. Would suggest a short decant as this needs air beyond the slow ox to open up, as it is initially thin on the mid palate. But even when it opens up, the fat fruit of 3 years ago is gone as the wine has developed into a fine, medium bodied Bordeaux blend, style-wise surprisingly closer to old- than new world in my eyes. Some leather notes and a touch of menthol blend nicely with the dark fruit. Only the short to medium finish stands in the way of a higher score.
Would drink now as tannins are fully resolved and the wine also does not posses the fruit concentration to benefit from further aging in my eyes.
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8/25/2016 - Ary wrote: 91 Points
During dinner, didn't make any formal notes. Similar expression as my notes in 2014 but this bottle had more depth and complexity. Still going strong, this time 91 points.
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5/17/2016 - Rieslingfan wrote:
My last bottle of this wine, and so of course the best...
Aging from the outside in, it's now a core of fruit wrapped in old leather, cherry infused tobacco in an elegant room. It is an absolute pleasure to drink now, with or without food.
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3/19/2016 - Vinsboro Likes this wine: 92 Points
Brick red at center. Some fading to orange at rim. Roasted cherry and plum aromas, along with shoe polish and leather. A hint of Cab greenness. Bright acid on the front, with a haunting finish. Still very alive. Sourced from the winery.
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8/17/2014 - Ary wrote: 90 Points
Pleasant nose with blackberries, cherry, cacao powder, coffee beans, nutmeg, iron and hint of lavender. Palate typical Cullen, elegance with notes of chocolate bar, some mint and eucalyptus. Smooth tannins in the finish. Nice wine but maybe bit too smooth and elegant for me, missing depth.
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12/7/2013 - AV2012 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Superb, just as previous time. Developing in the glass, interesting and silky on the palate.
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7/22/2013 - ocfriday Likes this wine: 92 Points
Holding up very well - hints of spice, nice long finish and complexity.
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7/10/2013 - pavel_p Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened as I felt like something else than Bdx. But I was not too daring as this is a proper Bdx blend with 65% CS, 21% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, 5% Malbec and 4% CF. Understand this became the Diana Madeline with the 2001 vintage (which I am planning to try next).
Poured half of bottle into decanter and drank over 3h. Medium to dark garnet. Initially the oak feels a bit overwhelming and out of balance but settles down and integrated better after 90 min. Dark fruit, forest floor, oak, and again that cool menthol which separates it from a Bdx. Very smooth, even fat on the palate despite the indicated medium alcohol (13.5% as per label). Very fine, barely noticeable tannins. Nice medium (+) finish, again with that interesting cool menthol note.
This is a very good wine. If it was a 2000 Bordeaux, I would say it will develop even some more complexity with another 2 years of bottle age, but my experience with how good Aussie Cabernet Merlot ages is very limited... 91-92
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6/9/2013 - AV2012 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Absolutely stunning wine. Very soft, silky, completely integrated tannins. Elegant and approachable. So happy to have some more bottles in my cellar. (A)
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4/2/2013 - fizz wrote: 89 Points
Chocolate, black fruits on the nose. Palate is a little underwhelming - medium bodied, but a little thin. High toned. A dominant cola taste on the palate, with little depth. The tannins have smoothed out. The second day, there appeared to be a little more depth to the flavours.
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1/27/2013 - Rieslingfan Likes this wine:
Still quite unevolved. This is showing lots of red and blakc fruit, and some light oak notes. One thing that is evolved is the tannin level, which is quite low and soft. So I guess it's a drink now, but there's no tertiary aromatics whatsoever. Weird but tasty.
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7/1/2012 - CamWheeler wrote: 89 Points
Blind Tasting - 2000 Vintage in Australia; 6/30/2012-7/1/2012: The nose shows pepper, blackcurrant, aniseed and some vanilla cola tinged oak. Palate is quite good, tannins have started to soften and there is a fresh lift to the fruit that makes it quite appealing to drink. It doesn't have the depth or class of the other wine tasted in this bracket but should continue to develop over the next 5 years.
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2/17/2012 - HouseOfBacon wrote: 98 Points
Beautifully smooth, elegant wine. Very fine tannins and a beautiful black fruit flavour. Simply luscious in every way.
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2/16/2012 - Softie wrote: 95 Points
Wonderful wine. I agree with many observations in other member's notes. No sign of tiredness. One of the best Bordeux blends I've ever tasted.
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10/2/2011 - Milos wrote: 92 Points
This wine has never disappointed me. Forward nose of dark red berries, chocolate, earthy notes and just a hint of floral notes. The palate is balanced, intense, with good acidity to carry the fruit, lots of complexity and all the flavours are still bright. Although the tannins completely integrated this wine has still a long ways to go. Try again in three years or so.
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10/27/2010 - MC wrote:
Decanted and served at room temperature. Dark red color, plenty of old world on the nose, and plenty of new world on the palate. Really nice combination if you are ready for it. I enjoyed it, found it easy with food, although would like a bit more structure to it. Drink now. A-
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10/21/2009 - salil wrote: 92 Points
Phenomenal. Decanted several hours in advance of dinner, and was only getting better by the time the bottle was finished. Incredibly complex and very well balanced with layers of leather, tobacco, forestal earthy notes and floral elements around a core of black cherries and currants, with grainy tannins and bright acids underneath giving it lift.
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6/22/2009 - Milos wrote: 92 Points
Dark cherry red and not much hint of brick around the rim. The nose is dark cherry, raspberry, wood, forest undergrowth and hint of dark chocolate. The palate is very intense dark fruit, nice acidity provides balance but tannins still dominate. Long finish. Drinks well but will be better in 3 to 5 years.
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6/4/2009 - salil wrote: 87 Points
Really disappointing compared to my last bottle. Bright red fruits, plums and faint floral notes with a touch of savoury earth underneath, but this feels a little disjointed and awkward with some volatile acidity present and a little heat on the back. After a couple of days in the fridge this improves a good deal with the heat disappearing and the fruit, earthy elements and acidity integrating together a little better.
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4/22/2009 - arthrovine wrote: 94 Points
Popped and poured, allowing 30min of breathe time in glass. Little sediment. Great cork. Beautiful, beautiful bordeaux-esque wine. Evokes images of the Karri forest, kangaroos and that Margaret River musk. Drinking extremely well now. Fabulous. Wish I had a case.
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9/27/2008 - salil wrote: 93 Points
Clear dark red colour. Very floral on the nose at first with bright cherry and red berries, earth and some faint toasty notes. With time flavours of cedar, spice and leather emerge. Medium bodied and elegant on the palate with more bright red fruited flavours mingled with cedar, earth and leather, fine grained tannins and lively acidity. Clean, long finish. Superb, and I'm glad I have more.
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9/27/2008 - Rieslingfan wrote:
Aromatically elegant, yet packed with cherry fruit, earth & subtle toast & powdery/floral notes. On the palate it is finely balanced, shows fruit from first taste all the way through the finish, elements of cedar & adds a pleasing bitter note on the end. This is very Bordeaux-esque & really a world-class expression of the Bordeaux blend style. Delicious.
Another collaborative note from Salil "I will bring Aussie wine that you will drink & like" Benegal & David "Are you trying to mess with my head" Bueker
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8/4/2008 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Another elegant, beauty from Cullen. Sweet plum and cassis fruit aromas laced with lavender and violets. It has a heart of sweet, dark fruit and is threaded with a little tobacco. The oak imparts a little chestnut and cedar and acts very much as a backdrop on which the pure fruits play. It finishes with breezy acidity and is long and fine.
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7/4/2008 - christianjhenry@gmail.com wrote: 92 Points
A lovely bottle of wine from the beginning. Aromas of clay eucalyptus, raspberry, rose petal, vanilla, herbs and more that went on and on. Slightly bricking at the edges, lively acidity that was matched by the tannins … pity the fruit was a little subdued, but gained more weight after a couple of hours. Nicely balanced, even if lacking a bit on the back palate, soft and round. But that incredible nose … wow.
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4/13/2008 - hutch wrote: 90 Points
Very expressive nose of ripe fruits upon opening this bottle. Agree with previous note that this tastes like a French/Aussie hybrid. Very restrained. Soft tannins. Was not as nice a couple hours after opening. Just a touch out of balance, the finish becoming distracting. Very solid wine, although a little unsure about the price/quality ratio.
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11/18/2007 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 94 Points
Nice Bordeaux blend. Still fruity, with herbal notes. Tannins well integrated. Probably near peak, really drinking well at this time. Nice balance, somewhere between France and California in character. Wish I had more.
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