The Auswine Forum

We're down in the Margaret River region for the weekend, and pacing ourselves through the cellar doors with regular detours to both the cheese factory and the venison farm.

Anyway, convenience led us to finish the day with Palandri Wines. I was only really interested in tasting the Palandri Range and was underwhelmed (but unsurprised), though the 2000 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon was nice. Finished with the 2001 Sparkling Merlot, and was told that this was from "South Australian and Victorian Producers".

What, so this answer that's only slightly less vague than "Australia" is what the good people at Palandri pass off as knowledgable service? I pressed the lady behind the counter and was told "that's all the wine maker would tell us". That's BS! At Cullen they could just about give you the adress of the vineyard where the grapes for any particular wine were grown. That's service!

PS. Big wraps for the lady at Cullen who remembered me from the last time I was in (15 months previously), asked me about work, and then pulled out an (unlabelled) bottle of 03 Mangan for myself and my friends to try (brilliant wine by the way, high light of my day). This is just one more reason why I have dry weeks to afford to buy their wines for special occasions, the name Cullen always brings a smile to my face.

DaveL wrote:That's BS! At Cullen they could just about give you the adress of the vineyard where the grapes for any particular wine were grown. That's service!

PS. Big wraps for the lady at Cullen who remembered me from the last time I was in (15 months previously), asked me about work, and then pulled out an (unlabelled) bottle of 03 Mangan for myself and my friends to try (brilliant wine by the way, high light of my day). This is just one more reason why I have dry weeks to afford to buy their wines for special occasions, the name Cullen always brings a smile to my face.

You lucky b******!! Loved the 00 malbec/petit verdot (1st Mangan); didn't get any of the 01 I've seen accused of being over-extracted, though that wasn't why I didn't buy that vintage. Incidentally, when placing my 1st order by phone with Cullen, I wanted to try the pinot but it was sold out so was offered the malbec/petit verdot 00 that at the time was a mail list/cellar door only release. Have only dealt with the staff at Cullen one other time since but hey, they're very good. The 02 is very nice, a big wine with some elegance. Thanks, James Halliday, for bringing this winery to my notice.

Asked Vanya online about how she sees the Mangan developing, given that it's produced, I think entirely, from fruit grown by her brother Rick and his wife Bettina at their viney that was only planted in 1995, nearby the established Cullen vineyard. Was a bit dismayed at her reply - the 01 is the style she wants to develop for this wine, and I ain't even tried it! Cullen wines are probably the most numerous (two dozen?) in my limited collection. Don't have/haven't tried any cab/merlot prior to 99, have a single btl of 00 for a future mini-vertical but haven't tasted that vintage, wasted a btl of DM 01 (wasted 2 99s [too young] but the 3rd told me how good this vintage is). Beware the 99, from what I can gather, arguably the best ever but at least in the top 3 best.

Dave, I'm interested in your opinion/impressions of the Mangan 03.

Regards

daz

I'm very curious too! Waiting for release date.

cheers,

For the first time EVER I wasn't playing taxi...which led to much swallowing almost on principle.

Even so I found it the most satisfying red wine I drank that day, though I was very impressed with the 2000 Ashbrook Cabernet that I looked at the following day.

I turned out that this bottle had been opened that day for some visiting wine related dignitary, the four of us got the last half inch in the bottle. I wasn't making notes, wasn't expecting to look at anything new, so all I can share are some brief impressions. Nice sweet dark fruits on the nose, and after the Eileen Bussel and Merlot Cabernet the colour seemed so much more intense. What really impressed me was the richness of the fruit on the palate, I keep reading about the "Cullens' mouthfeel" and since the oldest Cab Merlot I have is the 98 I don't expect to test this for a few more years. That said the Mangan did seem to have something special in the way of balance between fruit sweetness, tannin, and acid - though admittedly on the larger end of town. This wasn't "big" in the way I find tannic monsters from McLauren Vale big, more a wine of great power and intensity.

Given that you can just about buy the Mangan for half the price of the Cabernet Merlot I might start buying one of those and two Mangan's in future. More wine is more good!

DaveL wrote:For the first time EVER I wasn't playing taxi...which led to much swallowing almost on principle.

Even so I found it the most satisfying red wine I drank that day, though I was very impressed with the 2000 Ashbrook Cabernet that I looked at the following day.

I turned out that this bottle had been opened that day for some visiting wine related dignitary, the four of us got the last half inch in the bottle. I wasn't making notes, wasn't expecting to look at anything new, so all I can share are some brief impressions. Nice sweet dark fruits on the nose, and after the Eileen Bussel and Merlot Cabernet the colour seemed so much more intense. What really impressed me was the richness of the fruit on the palate, I keep reading about the "Cullens' mouthfeel" and since the oldest Cab Merlot I have is the 98 I don't expect to test this for a few more years. That said the Mangan did seem to have something special in the way of balance between fruit sweetness, tannin, and acid - though admittedly on the larger end of town. This wasn't "big" in the way I find tannic monsters from McLauren Vale big, more a wine of great power and intensity.

Given that you can just about buy the Mangan for half the price of the Cabernet Merlot I might start buying one of those and two Mangan's in future. More wine is more good!

Yes, I think I will be working toward the mixed dozen, do they do a six pack mixed?