2025 Cullen Grace Madeline, Margaret River

This is a blend of roughly three-quarters Sauvignon Blanc and the remainder Semillon. The Sauvignon Blanc was wild fermented, with about 58% new oak barriques, while the Semillon was kept in stainless steel for its fermentation. It was wild fermented with no additions of yeast or acid. And the Sauvignon Blanc spent an extra six months in new oak barriques before it was ready for bottling. There’s an incredible purity of the fruit here and a driving intensity symptomatic of both vineyard and vintage. The palate weaves its magic with terrifically intense, lemony fruit, balanced with some fine acid and clever use of oak. There’s a crunchy, vibrant, citrusy, melon finish. Excellent wine. Drink to 2041.

96 points Ray Jordan for Wine Pilot, March 2026

Sliced pears, nectarines, citrus, apple blossoms and sea spray. The textural palate is driven by phenolic structure, with pithy white stone fruit, chalky mineral grip and a long, fresh, tense finish. A blend of 74% sauvignon blanc and 26% semillon with 12 hours of skin contact before pressing, giving excellent crunch and mouthfeel. Built for aging yet delightful now.

95 points Ryan Montgomery for James Suckling, October 2026

The final blend comes out at 74/26% sauvignon blanc/semillon, and all up aged six months in oak, 58% new. As is the way with this classy wine, it’s textural, complex and layered. Smoky, waxy, with a hint of lanolin, some quince paste and preserved lemon. And so savoury. The palate is refined with talc-like acidity and neat phenolics, so it’s moreish to the last drop. Youthful and lovely today but will garner more complexity in time. Drink to 2036.

95 points Jane Faulkner for Halliday Wine Companion, February 2026

Light straw colour; savoury aromas of nutty barrel work with straw, cured hay and lightly toasted cashews. In the mouth, it's medium bodied and very dry, again a savoury suite of flavours and none of the greener notes of these varieties in this region. Some spiciness builds on the palate with repeat sips. Very good intensity, weight and persistence, and a clean and appetising fnish. A smart blend that promises to show more detail if given some more time in the bottle. Drink to 2037.

94 points Huon Hooke for The Real Review, January 2026

The 2025 Grace Madeline comprises 74% Sauvignon Blanc and 26% Semillon, both varieties grown in the Cullen vineyard in Wilyabrup in Margaret River. Aromatically, the wine leads with white flowers and lemongrass, green apple and brine. There's something attractively edgy here too—fino or salted preserved lemons and the like. In the mouth, the wine is fleshy and spicy, with warm baking spices, cracked fennel seed, white pepper and green olive tapenade. It's fleshier and wider than vintages prior but tethered to the DNA of the vineyard and house style. It's very good indeed. According to the Cullen technical data provided at the tasting, the fruit was hand-harvested from February 13 to 28, on two fruit days and a flower day. The Sauvignon Blanc portion was wild fermented in 58% new oak barriques, and the Semillon remained in stainless steel for fermentation. After wild fermentation with no additions of yeast or acidity, the Sauvignon Blanc spent a further six months in 58% new oak barriques before being racked to bottle. The final blend is 74% Sauvignon Blanc and 26% Semillon. Drink to 2035.

94 points Erin Larkin for The Wine Advocate, January 2026

This is a benchmark Australian expression of Sauvignon Blanc blended with Semillon, shaped by biodynamics, restraint and an unwavering sense of place. The style is inspired more by great white Bordeaux and fine European whites than by overtly aromatic Sauvignon Blanc, favouring savoury depth, structure and evolution in bottle.While compelling now, it rewards patience and will cellar confidently for fifteen to twenty years, developing honeyed, nutty, toast and lanolin complexity while retaining freshness and line.