Margaret River’s Cullen Diana Madeline Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot is Western Australia’s only new entry in the fourth edition of the prestigious Langton’s Classification of Australian Wine’s top Exceptional status.

Only 11 wines made the elite Exceptional category, with the Cullen joining two other Western Australian icons in the Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon and Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay, both also from Margaret River.

Published every five years, the Langton’s classification is the unofficial honour roll or form guide of Australia’s finest wine. The list of Australia’s top 101 wines is compiled from votes not by wine judges or critics, but consumers, more than 6,000 wine enthusiasts who regularly participate in buying and selling Australian wine at Langton fine wine auctions.

Interestingly, Margaret River region wines are the only Western Australian entries in the top three of Langton’s four categories.

Cullen winemaker Vanya Cullen has adopted biodynamic viticulture principles to achieve greater individuality of site through working with nature rather than against it.

There are cassis and cedar aromas with fine, beautifully ripe tannins and earthy anise gamey aromas and flavours.

The wine was named after the legendary Di Cullen, who established the winery and vineyard with her husband in 1966.

The Langton’s classification describes the barrel fermented Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnays as “rare, long lived, fine boned Chardonnays with superb fruit definition … the palate is creamy, yet a fine bead of acid cuts across the palate.”

The Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon, with two years oak, is regarded as one of .....

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Cullen Diane Madeline Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot

Australia’s great wines, “offering elegance, restrained power and site-specific aromas and flavours.”

The only West Aussie to make the 22-strong second tier Outstanding status was Margaret River’s Pierro Chardonnay, made in the Burgundian style with barrel fermentation in new French oak, lees stirring and lees contact.

Vasse Felix’ Heytesbury carried the Margaret River banner into the third ranked Excellent category containing 34 Australian wines.

The intensely flavoured and chocolatey cabernet blend that can include Malbec, Shiraz, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, joined existing tenants Cape Mentelle Cabernet Sauvignon and Howard Park Cabernet Sauvignon, all from Margaret River.

There were four Western Australian wines in the lowest ranking Distinguished class, including the first non Margaret River region wines to make the entire classification – Houghton’s Jack Mann Frankland River/Great Southern red blend and Plantagenet’s Mt Barker/Greatt Southern Shiraz.

They joined Margaret River’s Leeuwin Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon and Vasse Felix’s Cabernet Sauvignon.