Taela, 23, lives in Fremantle, Western Australia, where she works as a bartender at craft brewery Little Creatures. She spends much of her time recommending beer, but is keen to learn more about wine and what makes certain styles appeal to her.
Her usual choice is a fresh, crisp white—often New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. For this challenge, she stepped outside her routine with a Margaret River blend of Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Verdelho.
The wine
Cullen Wines, Elvie Clarke, Wilyabrup, Margaret River 2024
A blend of 58% Sauvignon Blanc, 35% Semillon and 7% Verdelho, with 13.5% alcohol. The grapes were hand-harvested from the Mangan vineyard during a vintage described as the hottest, driest and earliest on record. Cullen Wines has been certified biodynamic since 2008.
Taela chose the bottle after a recommendation from a wine specialist at a local Dan Murphy’s store. It cost about A$35. She opened it on her balcony at sunset with two friends.
What it tasted like
Taela found the wine pale, with green hints. Its aromas reminded her of lemon and passionfruit. On the palate, it was crisp and refreshing: zesty citrus gave way to green apple and pear, with another touch of passionfruit. Despite the citrus character, she found it easy to drink, without the sharp, sour finish she had expected.
Though the wine was outside her usual choices, Taela and her friends enjoyed it. She said it was light and fresh, yet interesting—just right for a warm evening—and good value for the price. The experience also made her curious to try more Margaret River Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc blends.
Decanter’s Margaret River correspondent rated the 2024 vintage 94 points. Read the review.