Cullen Kevin John Wilyabrup Chardonnay 2022

The Chardonnays I have tasted so far from the 2022 vintage in Margaret River remind me of the 2014s, in their soft acidity and primal, almost unbound fruit power. Here, the 2022 Kevin John Chardonnay leads with crushed nuts, salted yellow peach, red apple skins, preserved citrus rind, yuzu, green tea and saltbush, before tumbling into the flavors in the mouth. Toffee apple, nuts, curry leaf and saffron. Concentrated, piercing and intense. The acid envelops the tongue and holds it hostage, while the fruit explodes with power. The Gingin clone is on show here. The wine trails to a soft, juicy finish. It is lingering, very good, excellent, even better after a gentle decant and served in a big Burgundy glass. 13.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.

This has a lemon-cream edge to the nose with white peaches and a gentle edge of grilled hazelnuts, pie crust and pastry. The palate is super fresh, lithe and juicy with a tangy core of white-peach and lemon and lime-sorbet flavor that holds the finish. So elegant yet concentrated and long. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

This highly lauded wine from one of Margaret River’s greats is crafted for the long haul. It shows notes of oyster shell and ground white pepper, with lemon and pineapple rinds at the fore. The palate offers a beautiful texture, length and outstanding complexity. It would be a crime to drink this now when such rewards are sure to come to those who wait. Drink 2022–2035. Cellar Selection. 

Precise and focused, with terrific purity and juiciness to the pear, Meyer lemon and dried pineapple flavors. Hints of butterscotch, spice and dried flowers linger on the finish. Drink now.

Picked on fruit and flower days, wild-fermented in French barriques for 5 months (75% new) and allowed to go through mlf. Wastes no time in asserting its blue blood ancestry with vital freshness and citrussy acidity retained despite the mlf. The layers of white flowers, white flesh stone fruit and grapefruit will become progressively richer and more complex with age, but it's so well balanced and full of life there is every reason to enjoy this chardonnay young.