CULLEN RED MOON 2024

Winery notes (2024 Vintage)
"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.

Aromas of juicy raspberry with tobacco, vanilla and savoury satsuma plum and raisins. Remarkable structure with unctuous juicy red fruits lined with savoury salty plums well-orchestrated tannins and expansive pomegranate with a polish mineral ironstone, the finish evoque flowers of rose and violets."

95/100 Erin Larkin, RobertParker.com, Wine Advocate (2024 Vintage)
"The 2024 Red Moon is a blend of Malbec, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Petit Verdot and Merlot. The wine is intensely concentrated in fruit flavor and tannin, with pomegranate, mulberry, violets, licorice, fennel, blood plum and cherry. There are pink peppercorns and pressed roses, with ozone and tarmac in profusion. There’s a slinkiness to this wine that I appreciate; it is cleansing like summer rain, and it is inky and just a little bit chewy. The purity of expression here is so impressive. Fermented without additions, it matured in older oak for eight months."

92/100 Ken Gargett, WinePilot.com, April 2025 (2024 Vintage)
"From the Mangan vineyard, this is harvested on the night of a red moon – which happens during “a total lunar eclipse when the light filtering through the Earth’s atmosphere dapples the moon in red light”. The blend is 33% Malbec, 23% Grenache, 22% Mourvedre, 17% Petit Verdot and 5% Merlot, which spent eight months in old oak. A joy to drink while young, but it has legs. A vibrant colour, this is still youthful and very fresh. We have aromas weaving through plums, blackcurrants, chocolate and dried herbs with hints of coffee grinds. A brightly flavoured style, with medium length and sleek tannins, there is a fine line of zesty acidity. Perfect for your next gourmet barbecue."

92/100 Huon Hooke, The Real Review (2024 Vintage)
"Very deep and youthful purple-red colour; intense and fresh blackberry, cassis, cranberry aromas, tinged with crushed leaf and star anise. Likewise intense and bold, fresh and fruit-driven flavours of many berry fruits, sweetly ripe and charming, with silky-smooth tannins gently coating the tongue. It's malbec-driven but has none of the tomato stalk character of lesser malbecs. A brilliant, fruit-driven young red wine."