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Description
This is Cullen doing what Cullen does best - letting the vineyard do the talking. Red Moon is a blend of Malbec, Petit Verdot and Merlot from the Mangan Vineyard, planted in the mid-90s and farmed biodynamically ever since. It’s named after the lunar eclipse that coincided with harvest, which fits nicely given Vanya Cullen’s long-time commitment to farming with the moon and the seasons.
The fruit was picked by hand on fruit and flower days, fermented naturally, and raised in old oak for a short spell - just enough to let it breathe, not enough to get in the way. No fining, no additions, nothing flashy. What you get is clean, juicy, purple-toned fruit with just the right amount of edge. There’s structure here, but it’s subtle. The wine glides more than it grips.
It’s one of those wines that’s easy to enjoy young, but if you forget a few bottles in the cellar, you’ll be glad you did. Quietly brilliant stuff.
92 points
"Brilliant young red packed with ripe blackberry, cranberry and cassis. Smooth tannins, fruit-driven charm, and none of malbec’s usual green edge."
- Huon Hooke (The Real Review)
