Tasting Notes for Cullen Mangan Vineyard Red Moon 2024 from the Winery 

A Red Moon occurs during a total lunar eclipse when the light filtering through the Earth’s atmosphere dapples the moon in red light. A total lunar eclipse occurred on the 16th May 2022 just after the end of another harvest here at Cullen’s.

This hand harvested fruit was destemmed and fermented with indigenous yeasts with no additions or fining at bottling. It was fermented 33% Malbec, 23% Grenache, 22% Mourvedre, 17% Petit Verdot, 5% Merlot. This wine is all about the fruit and purity of expression. It is imminently drink-able as a young wine but also will age well under screw cap closure for at least 15 years.

Colour: Attractive purple with mulberry tones and a bright magenta rim.

Cellar: Enjoy now or for up to 15 years.

Bouquet: Juicy raspberry with tobacco, vanilla and savoury satsuma plum and raisins.

Food: Drink with lamb, Indian Nihari beef stew, roasted vegetables

Palate: Remarkable structure with unctuous juicy red fruits lined with savory salty plums well-orchestrated tannins and expansive pomegranate with a polish mineral ironstone, the finish evoque flowers of rose and violets.

Vintage Notes

2024 vintage was the hottest, driest and earliest harvest on record. Rainfall turned off like a tap at the end of September 2023, with nominally no rain until the season broke in May 2024. Unseasonable warmth all through the growing season combined with heatwaves in January meant harvest started early and was over extremely quickly.

But with sunshine comes flavour and 2024 does not disappoint in fruit weight and concentration. No rain and plenty of sun means wines hit their optimal ripeness (albeit earlier than expected!) and created wines with great depth of flavour and extract.

The ample marri blossom and dry conditions meant both bird and disease pressure was low, the main thing keeping us awake at night was the water stress on our dry grown vines. Both whites and reds show opulence and power that so far show great promise for the future.

Winemaker Notes

Vineyard:  67% Metricup, 33% Cullen Vineyard

Varieties:  33% Malbec, 23% Grenache, 22% Mourvedre, 17% Petit Verdot, 5% Merlot.

Harvest Dates:  12th, 13th and 21st of February with two flower days and one fruit day.

Alcohol:  13.5%

Oak:  8 months in old oak

Cullen Wines

Grown in the ancient soils of Wilyabrup, Cullen wine comes from the heart of the land rather than the mind of the winemaker. They are the only biodynamic and carbon positive winery in the region. 

(SKU: CW_REM_CV)