Vanya Cullen
Hall of Fame Alumni
Cullen Wines
- Managing Director and Chief Winemaker
About Me - My Biography
Vanya Cullen has been winemaking at her family’s Wilyabrup estate since 1983. She was appointed to Chief Winemaker in 1989 and Managing Director in 1999. During that time she has been rigorously experimenting in the vineyard (especially with soil and trellis management) and in the winery all the while looking to give her wines greater complexity. Her palate has been honed by judging throughout Australia and overseas, and by her continuous pursuit of a thorough knowledge of the wines of the world.
Over the past 30 years, Vanya has transformed her family firm from one of Margaret River’s best into one of the country’s premium boutique wineries. Cullen Wines while remaining family owned has since evolved making quality wine from a certified Biodynamic, Carbon Neutral and naturally powered estate. Exemplary viticulture lies at the heart of her success but so, too, do care and thorough attention to detail in the winery.
Vanya Cullen was the winner of the 2000 Qantas/The Wine Magazine Winemaker of the year. She was the third recipient of this prize, the first Western Australian and the first woman to win the award. Vanya sits on the Qantas Taste Panel and has done so since 2006 and has judged at wine shows in every major city in Australia. In 2008, she was awarded the UK Drinks Business Magazine “Woman of the Year 2008” and in 2011 the “Green Personality of the Year” for her commitment to the wine industry and for demonstrating that you can operate a successful business while looking after the environment.
2013 was Vanya’s 30th year of winemaking at Cullen Wines and 2014 celebrated Vanya’s 25th anniversary of becoming Chief winemaker at Cullen Wines!
Established in 1971, Cullen Wines focuses on only the best quality wines, with a Wilyabrup sense of place and a sustainable philosophy. The maritime climate, rocky soils, dry farming and biodynamic practices all help to create individual and diverse wine styles which are unique to Cullen. Grapes are harvested by hand on fruit and flower days according to the astrological calendar. The wines have no additions of yeast, acid or malolactic culture, expressing the land on which they are grown, the vintage and the people.
Cullen Wines is a James Halliday 5 star Winery and Rated ‘Exceptional’ with the Langton’s Classification V of Australian Wine.
Her Story
Since first taking the reins from her father 16 years ago, Vanya Cullen has taken Cullen Wines to exciting new heights. Vanya’s dedication and innovation has successfully transformed the family wine business into one of Australia’s premium boutique wineries.
Vanya possesses an impressive entrepreneurial finesse. As one of the first in Australia to make her family winery completely carbon-free, Vanya has made Cullen Wines the beverage of choice for climate conscious consumers.
Vanya has made it her mission to improve not only how her wines taste, but also how they’re manufactured. As an environmentalist, she refuses to have synthetic chemicals in Cullen Wines’ vineyard.
“The soils are healthy, the vines are healthy and the fruit’s healthy and that’s what gives us sustainability and quality.”
She likens the role of the winemaker to that of “a custodian of the land – to get that aliveness from the land to the bottle.”
Refusing to rest on her laurels, Vanya is not one to remain complacent about how her wines taste, or how they are produced. This is the key to Cullen Wines’ success and why it is a regular fixture in wine connoisseurs’ cellars: because of her non-complacency, Vanya continually works to refine her wines.
Her fervent commitment in ensuring that Cullen Wines fulfils its green and ethical duties is to be admired. Vanya’s inclination towards environmentally friendly practices influences every facet of her wine business.
The fervour of Vanya’s dedication to climate friendly practices is extraordinary: not only dedicated to ensuring that her family business operates in a climate friendly way, she is also committed to encouraging others to embrace sustainable initiatives. As a board member of the ‘Days of Change’ program, Vanya aims to inspire Western Australian business people to adopt more sustainable practices.
Vanya also partakes in a program to plant trees and through this, Cullen Wines remains the first Australian winery to offset carbon dioxide emissions.
Vanya has earned an international reputation for winemaking by using the greenest methods possible. Her dedication to environmentally sustainable commercial winemaking practices is encouraging:Vanya demonstrates that it is possible to run a successful business whilst still being mindful of the environment.
Awarded the UK Drinks Business Magazine ‘Woman of the Year 2008’ and the ‘Green Personality of the Year’ award in 2011 (as well as a plethora of accolades for the quality of her wines itself), Vanya’s devotion to sustainable winemaking practices has not gone unnoticed.
In addition, Vanya champions environmental causes outside of Cullen Wines: when she opposed plans to build a coal mine in Osmington she was one of the first local businesspeople to take a stand. Vanya is a true trailblazer and is unafraid of being a pioneer to pave a path for others to follow.
Indeed, after turning carbon-free, other winemaking businesses followed suit: consequently Vanya’s sustainable winemaking methods have gained momentum.
Finally, Vanya advises other business owners to:
”Only take on work you love and are passionate about. There is never complete calm sailing in business. Learn from your mistakes and move on”.
Strategies for Success
- Don’t give up, be persistent and tenacious! Be gracious when you win and when you lose – both are important. The world needs more grace!
- Be clear about your goals and be consistent in your world.
- Be compassionate towards the world, people, earth and all beings. Seek the truth and be the truth. Act with integrity.
- Be gentle on yourself and take care of yourself. Physically, emotionally and spiritually.
- Family comes first and close friends. Give back what you take.
