Cullen Diana Madeline Cabernet Blend 2005

Cullen occupies a special place in the consciousness of Australian wine. Under Di and now Vanya Cullen, the winery has simultaneously become a leader not only in quality but also sustainability, which it has achieved through equal measures of conviction, commitment and talent. The current releases include a racy, mineral Cullen Vineyard white blend of benchmark quality, a rather nondescript Kevin John Chardonnay and a leaner, drying expression of Diana Madeline (the cabernet blend) that seems to have picked up some oak-derived volatility. I take no pleasure in reporting what I taste in these famous wines, and frankly almost hope I'm proven wrong. My role, however, demands a dispassionate stance Đ even if virtually every other wine critic supports them strongly. I note at least that the Kevin John appears to have shed the spiky, sweet-sour characters of recent vintages.