Cullen Wines in Wilyabrup, Western Australia: Why visit this Margaret River winery?

Cullen Wines in Wilyabrup is one of the pioneering wineries in the Margaret River region of Western Australia. The biodynamic wines, exclusive tasting experiences and Spiral Garden set Cullen apart.

Wilyabrup is one of several distinct areas within the Margaret River wine region of south-west Western Australia. It is also home to Cullen Wines, a name British wine drinkers may well recognise.

Cullen Wines are reasonably well distributed in the UK – you can buy them from several wine merchants, although not usually supermarkets. If you’re a fan, and want to see where they’re made, then you’re in luck. Cullen Wines in Wilyabrup is open to visitors.

9 Margaret River experiences worth booking

1. Wine tours. 2. Wine & chocolate tasting. 3. Whale-watching. 4. River canoeing. 5. Cave tours to Lake Cave, Ngilgi Cave, Jewel Cave and Mammoth Caves. 6. Nature and culture tour. 7. Surfing lesson. 8. Stand-up paddleboarding. 9. Coffee discovery experience.

Cullen Wines in Wilyabrup, Margaret River, Western Australia — Cullen Wines in the Margaret River region is open to visitors. Photo courtesy of Tourism Western Australia.

History of Cullen Wines in Wilyabrup

The tale of Cullen Wines begins in 1965. Kevin and Diana Cullen wanted to plant something else on their land in Wilyabrup. They were looking at lupins, but Dr John Gladstones from the University of Western Australia saw that Margaret River had similar qualities to other major wine-growing regions around the world. He suggested grapes, and the Cullen winery was born.

Over the years, Cullen Wines has become more and more focused on environmental impact. It first went organic, then biodynamic. Then, in 2019, Cullen Wines became Australia’s first certified carbon neutral winery. It now claims to have a carbon positive Biodynamic Wine Room.

Wine-tasting at Cullen winery

This Biodynamic Wine Room is essentially the cellar door, and a series of tasting experiences are available. The cheapest of these is the $15 tasting experience. This allows tastings of up to five of Cullen’s biodynamic wines. There’s no need to book for this – walk-ins are welcome as long as the group is no larger than five people.

More extensive, exclusive tasting experiences are also available, costing between $30 and $75. These include tastings of Cullen’s flagship wines – Diana Madeline and Kevin John.

Spiral Garden at Cullen Wines, Wilyabrup

The other unusual aspect of Cullen Wines in Wilyabrup is the Spiral Garden. There’s an awful lot of mumbo jumbo about vortexes talked about in regard to this garden, but it does offer information on what the biodynamic process entails. For more information, visit the Cullen website.

Other non-wine experiences in the region include a variety of Margaret River tours and caving in Giants Cave or Jewel Cave. You can also try chocolate tasting at the Margaret River Chocolate Company and meeting the Hamelin Bay stingrays. Further north around Dunsborough, try Wise Wines in Eagle Bay, Geographe Bay whale-watching tours and stand-up paddle-boarding at Meelup Beach.

Why you should stay in the town of Margaret River

There are plenty of great places to stay in the Margaret River region. But stay in the town itself has one massive advantage – you can walk to the bars and restaurants in the evening after a day’s wine-tasting.

If you’d like to avoid driving in the evening, these are the best accommodation options in the town of Margaret River.

For apartments with a pool (honestly, this is the best choice): Margarets In Town.
For chalets by the river: Riverview Tourist Park.
For a centrally-located motel: Margaret River Motel.
For a bit more style: Prideau’s of Margaret River.