Vanya Cullen’s pushing the boundaries, and achieving results, at the iconic winery.
THE label of hedonist, farmer, lover of music and of song, and beachcomber doesn't normally conjure up images of a world-class winemaker.
But they're right on the money when describing Vanya Cullen.
Underpinning all of those characteristics is an unbridled passion for nature that permeates all aspects of the family business, Cullen Wines.
As managing director of one of the oldest and most revered Margaret River wineries, Ms Cullen continues to push boundaries in winemaking and farming practices, especially with regard to the making the vineyard and winery a biodynamic operation.
"I've been managing director for about 10 years but I've worked there for too long, for 27 years," Ms Cullen told WA Business News.
"I think the way we make wine with biodynamic practices, there's a sense of alchemy and beauty in that nature produces these wonderful grapes and we, as much as possible, allow the land to do that.
"And the wine that is produced at the end of that is like magic in a way."
Ms Cullen says the biodynamic practice evolved from the legacy of her parents - winemaking legends Diana and Kevin Cullen - who planted their first vines in 1971 on 7 hectares of sheep and cattle grazing land following a successful trial in 1966.
But the biodynamic process truly began taking shape about 10 years ago when yields at the winery were down and the vines looked poorly due to the ageing soils.
This led Ms Cullen to intuitively consider organic viticulture involving extensive drainage systems, crop covers, lots of compost and the removal of chemicals, which then developed into the practice of biodynamics.
"Put simply, if you're biodynamic then you're inherently organic, but if you're organic you're not biodynamic," Ms Cullen explains.
"We became certified with the Biological Farmers Association in 2003 and then our vineyard manager went to a course in biodynamics ... and it seemed the next step to take it to a holistic level of farming.
"Generally, biodynamics is the use of the astro (astrological) calendar to use the position of the planets to put your sprays on."
Ms Cullen is adamant the process is paying off, suggesting that vintages from 2004 onwards are a step up in quality thanks mainly to the biodynamic practice.
"When you talk about it, it seems strange to people but it has only been 80 years or so that we haven't been farming with the movement of the planets," she says.
"Five years ago there probably would've been about 10 biodynamic producers in Australia; there are 150 now.
"I don't know why it's working but it is, so I invite people to come and have a look and see what's happening: it's all good, the soil is alive, there's earthworms and we have such a healthy vineyard.
"And now we're at the fifth year of the biodynamic process and it's the fifth year where it all kicks-in together."
But don't think it's all about the environment and lunar movements and digging in the dirt; there's still plenty of time left to enjoy a glass or two.
Maybe only a winemaker of Ms Cullen's skill and standing could get away with shelling out almost $3,000 for a single glass of wine in the company of noted mentors and close friends, James Halliday and Len Evans.
Suggesting it to be one of her greatest-ever indulgences, Ms Cullen recalls a dinner with about 27 other 'wine crew' at the Tower Lodge in the Hunter Valley where they all had a single glass of a very rare double magnum, 1865 Lafite.
"It was what is now the Len Evans Memorial Single Bottle Wine Club, so we all paid an enormous amount of money to drink one glass, but it was just unbelievable," she says.
"That would be the greatest wine I've ever tried in my life.
"But I don't like excess and I always think 'oh, that bottle of wine' but I always justify it by saying I have to look at these things because I'm a winemaker and I need benchmarks.
"It's important to drink well. If you're talking about making iconic wine you do need to know what greatness is, and that's where the mentoring of James and Len came in and having those opportunities to do that."
Having notched up no fewer than four academic qualifications around the science of wine since 1982 - including membership to the exclusive Parisian Académie Internationale du Vin in 2004 - Ms Cullen remains busy with her day job as well as spending time judging wines in competitions around the world.
In 2004, she became the first female chairperson at the Victorian Great Southern Wine Show and has also judged at competitions in London, Los Angeles and Hong Kong.
However, Ms Cullen feels she hasn't achieved that much.
"There's a lot to do and I always feel like I haven't done anything," she says.
"You always think 'what have I done today?' and there seems to be all this chaos, and I don't feel like I've done very much.
"It's probably yet to come."
There's still plenty of work to do at Cullen Wines; in particular, succession planning is a key area of focus at the moment, in tandem with balancing family values and business values at the winery.
"The evolution of running a family business is difficult in terms of corporate governance and the shareholders, who are my brothers and sisters," Ms Cullen says.
"I think it's the most difficult but will ultimately be the most rewarding."
What would you do if you were premier for a day?
I'd make everybody have solar power on their roof and have the whole state powered by renewable energy. I'd make everyone have a compost bin and a rainwater tank out the back. That way we're all independent and not dependent on things that are creating a situation that's possibly going to be catastrophic for future generations. And (I'd put) more funding into renewable energy.
What's your greatest indulgence?
Being at the beach; I love the beach, I love the ocean and I love nature.
What's your reaction to people who don't believe climate change is occurring?
I think they're in denial. Basically there are too many people on the earth and it's having an effect. I don't understand why they say that [climate change is not occurring]. It makes me feel sad because we're travelling on a path that is possibly irreversible. I don't understand it - it's futile and it's crazy.
Do you have a mentor?
That's a good question. I suppose I have lots of mentors in way. My mother was a mentor - she was such a strong woman with great compassion and intelligence. James Halliday is also a mentor in wine judging and Len Evans in a business sense.
What's your biggest achievement?
It's probably yet to come; there's a lot to do and I always feel like I haven't done anything. You always think 'what have I done today?' There seems to be all this chaos, and I don't feel like I've done very much.
