Sheltering Winter at Cabin Fever Festival

 

In addition to the sold-out AWW Cookbook Dinner taking place at the Estate this weekend, we are pleased to work alongside Cabin Fever as the festival's wine partner. ⁠
⁠
The Ultimate Winter Long Lunch took place at Shelter Brewing over the weekend just gone⁠, where guests were treated to exciting many hands collab that championed local produce ⁠and beverages from Banks and Bloom and Shelter Brewing Co.⁠ ⁠
⁠
Four renowned chefs, masters of their preferred cuisines, prepared a course each, three of which were matched to Vasse Felix wines. ⁠
⁠
Rishi Naleendra (of Michelin-starred Cloudstreet Singapore): Scallop, ishtu, spiced golden raisins, sea succulents - 2021 Vasse Felix Sauvignon Blanc ⁠
Luke Foyle (Juanita’s Bar): Duck Liver Parfait, pomegranate gel, rice cracker - 2021 Vasse Felix Chardonnay ⁠
Calum MacKechnie (Lalla Rookh): Berkshire pork shoulder, Jerusalem artichoke, hazelnut, apple - 2020 Vasse Felix Cabernet Sauvignon⁠
⁠
Find us in the Cabin on Busselton Foreshore and enjoy a glass by the fire until 23 July 2023.⁠

 

Photo credit: Cabin Creative
⁠

TOM CULLITY Included in Halliday's 50 Great Reds

It was a privilege to see the 2019 TOM CULLITY included in Halliday's "50 Great Red" this week. Editor-in-Chief Campbell Mattinson MW put it to the Halliday tasting team to nominate their favourite 'buy now or miss out' reds which yielded an incredible list of 50 great value and highly collectable wines.

Although sold out at the estate, the 2019 TOM CULLITY can be found around the country in all good wine stores. Read on for Campbell's words on the complete list and to discover Jane Faulkner's 98 point review on our icon wine. The full list can be found here.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Tomorrow we’ll drink better, brighter, wiser. That was the feeling I had as – shopping list in hand – I read through our 50 great reds selection this year. The truth is that everyone on the Halliday Tasting Team is a wine lover first and a wine reviewer second, and so we too are always on the lookout for the best, the brightest and the bargain-est. 

Value therefore is always at the top of our mind but then, of course, ultimate quality is the main goal. The great perk of genuine, well-researched wine enthusiasm is that regardless of budget, or setting, or crowd, or objective, you can expect to have every occasion covered, and to always drink brilliantly.

For lovers of Australian red wine then – outside of the annual Halliday Wine Companion book of course – this list is the best research you can get. Keep it close at hand. It’s chocked with great wine after great wine, as it always is, but on top of this the 2021 vintage was a ripper in many regions, and so the general standard at both the top and value end is higher than usual. Given what we’ve all been through over the past few years, 2021 is the vintage we had to have. It’s ably complemented by the vintages around it, but our general advice is, see 2021, buy 2021."

 

2019 TOM CULLITY Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec - Jane Faulkner, 98 Points 

It’s often a shame to taste a flagship wine so young when it has decades ahead of it, but that feeling lasted a nanosecond before turning to respect, then 'oh my, this is awesome'. Sometimes I get very excited. In this seductive youthful stage, it’s fragrant with florals from violets to lavender, plenty of blueberries and bramble all wonderfully savoury with lots of warming spices. The palate offers charm, detail and excellent structure with velveteen tannins and a fine acid line teasing this to a long, long finish.

 

Winter In Margaret River

A calm descends on the region as we hunker beside fires indoors as the moodier weather rolls in. Margaret River is host to many well-kept secret gems in winter, explore at your leisure.

 

THE WINE LOUNGE

Perhaps we are biased, however, winter in our Wine Lounge offers a cozy reprieve from drizzling skies. Best enjoyed by the fire and nursing a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon along with charcuterie and cheese watching last leaves fall from soon to be dormant vines.

The Wine Lounge is open daily 10am - 5pm, with no reservations required.

 

A WINTER PIE AND PINT

An absolute hidden gem, Pies & Ale is tucked away in the Boranup Forest. Offering innovative flavour combinations, these fresh and delicious homemade pies are accompanied by a fantastic selection of beers. Flip the menu and you will find a glass of Filius Shiraz available.

@piesandale

 

MOODY SKIES AND WINTER SWELLS

The region’s unrivalled coastline is arguably more breathtaking in the chillier months as wild swells and moody winter skies roll in. Bring a blanket, grab a hot chocolate from White Elephant café and watch the waves roll in at Gnarabup Beach, or have a dip if you’re feeling brave. You may even be lucky enough to spot migrating whales as they travel north for warmer waters.

 

COSY COFFEE AND CROISSANTS

Do not be deceived by this small sized bakery, Egberts is a croissant lovers heaven! With a well-stocked
cabinet and a glorious selection of tempting fresh pastries, swing by and try their house blend. Grab a table inside or rug up and enjoy watching the world go by on nearby benches in the heart of town.

@egbertsmargaretriver

 

THE NEW KID IN TOWN

With a fabulous retro-inspired fit out, this new small neighbourhood bar has quickly become a favourite of locals and visitors alike. Pearl’s Bar showcases a delicious range of beers and wines from local independent producers, as well as a cleverly curated menu of bar snacks and cocktails to boot!

@pearlsbarmargaretriver

TOM CULLITY | 'The region's capacity for power, length, tannic profile and fresh fruit'

It was a pleasure to read recent words from Erin Larkin for Robert Parker Wine Advocate ⁠as she delved into the Margaret River Region, its history, winemaking, clones and regional styles of both leading varietals, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon.⁠
⁠
We were thrilled to see the report featured 10 Vasse Felix wines, including all seven vintages of the TOM CULLITY, with the 2018 TOM CULLITY the highest-awarded wine in the report out of 423 wines tasted. Full reviews from Erin Larkin can be found below.

"The 2018 Tom Cullity Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec joins the 2014 as two of the greatest wines ever produced at Vasse Felix, and the explosive core of fruit through the middle and back palate illustrates the interminable length that this wine will endure in the cellar. It's a collector's wine, for sure, but also a wine that you should taste as soon as you can in order to understand what I view as being the region's capacity for power, length, tannic profile and fresh fruit. This is an exemplary wine here."

--------------------------------------------------------------------

2021 Vasse Felix Chardonnay - 92 Points

The 2021 Chardonnay is mealy, svelte and fine, polished, seamless, lovely and classy.

2021 Vasse Felix DHJ1 Single Plot Chardonnay - 96 Points

The 2021 DHJ1 Single Plot Chardonnay is composed of 100% Gin Gin clone hand-picked in Wallcliffe from southeast-facing vines planted in the early 2000s in gravel loam over clay. This had high solids in a wild ferment and matured in seasoned French oak for nine months, prior to two months of settle in tank. Malolactic fermentation was completed, and for those who like finished numbers, it has a pH of 3.16 grams per liter with a total acidity of 7.2 grams per liter. It was organically grown, and the pure free-run juice was bottled unfined and unfiltered. This is pristine and coastal, layered and shelly with brine, saltbush, soft leaf and bay, sage and sun-drenched rocks. It's evocative and legion in its multiplicity—fine but firm, concentrated yet svelte, coastal and authentic but also polished and seamless. It's a special wine made in an unusual style for Vasse, and I like it immensely

2021 Vasse Felix Heytesbury Chardonnay - 96+ Points

The 2021 Heytesbury Chardonnay is as Heytesbury usually is—complex, firmly textured, coastal and briny, with layers of flesh and spice folded in on the palate. The wine ages tremendously, and the release cycle really does it no favors, as the wine seems to come into its own several years after release. It really is a shame about commercial reality! You get salted white peach, brine, saltbush, green apple skins, tea leaves, graphite/pencil box, tobacco leaf and cilantro. It's a sensational wine, and it will be even better in time. It was fermented wild, matured for nine months in French oak barriques (56% new, the balance one to three years old) and settled for six months in tank thereafter. Super wine. Piercing.

2013 Vasse Felix Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec Tom Cullity - 95 Points

This wine is made with 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Malbec and 4% Petit Verdot. It had a 100% wild ferment and 2% carbonic maceration and matured in French oak for 19 months (61% new). The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec Tom Cullity was the first of the new flagship Tom Cullity wine, after the cessation of the Heytesbury red. The 2013 vintage, on release and for several years afterward, was a buxom, full, almost vivacious wine that spoke of purple fruits, tobacco leaf and plenty of fleshy tannin. Here, a decade later, the 2013 Tom Cullity has evolved into a savory wine that speaks of lotus leaf, saltbush, nori, enoki mushroom, blackberry, cassis and the telltale raspberry that I often find in the Tom Cullity Cabernet. It's really coming into its own now, and yet it still has more ascension in front of it. The drinking window here is indicative of the fact that the older Margaret River Cabernets (made from younger vines and with different technology and insights) persist for 40 years with ease; however, I prefer a modicum of primary fruit in wine. Hence, the window indicated. They will live longer if stored in the right conditions.

2014 Vasse Felix Tom Cullity Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec - 98 Points

This wine was made with 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Malbec and 4% Petit Verdot. It had a 100% wild ferment with 100% whole berry and matured in French oak for 18 months (62% new). With full disclosure, this 2014 Tom Cullity Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec was and still is my favorite vintage, and each year it expands in its effortless grace and beauty. It is a ripping wine, the clearest picture through four lenses (season, vineyard, producer, region) that I can conceive of. You get raspberry leaf tea, brine, nori, sun-dried kelp, cassis, bramble, tobacco leaf (both fresh and chewing) and black olives in brine, and the tannins are fully embedded into the fruit. Its seamless, finely milled and embossed even. Excellent, excellent, excellent.

2015 Vasse Felix Tom Cullity Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec - 95 Points

Made with 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot, this had a 100% wild ferment with 100% whole berry and was matured in French oak for 16 months (51% new). The has the lowest alcohol of all the Tom Cullitys, at 14% alcohol (the others are mainly 14.5%). The 2015 Tom Cullity Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec was a very closed and restrained iteration of this wine on release, and each year that I look at it, I wonder whether or not this will be the year that it emerges. It seems that it is on its way. You get blue and black fruits, licorice, nori (a consistent character for me), resin, lavender/potpourri and black peppercorns. In 2023, the middle to back palate on this wine is a sumptuous display of fruit, telling me perhaps that this might just be its natural state; perhaps I should stop wishing the years away and start drinking these. It is ready now, with a window backward and forward from here.

2016 Vasse Felix Tom Cullity Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec - 96+ Points 

This wine was made with 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot. It had a 100% wild ferment with 100% whole berry and was matured in French oak for 19 months (80% new). The 2016 Tom Cullity Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec has it all. It is fleshy, ripe, firmly tannic (yet ductile and pliable), luscious in its fruit display (black and purple berries) and seamless in its flow of tannin. It's a brilliant wine, glossy and polished. This will live for eons.

2017 Vasse Felix Tom Cullity Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec - 95 Points

Made with 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Malbec and 1% Petit Verdot, this had a 100% wild ferment with 100% whole berry and matured in French oak for 19 months (61% new). 2017 was a season that produced extremely varied results across the region. The season was cooler, and there was rain about. The producers who managed their vineyards with courage and diligence were the ones who produced the best wines. The 2017 Tom Cullity Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec shows some of the fresh leather/sweet heirloom tomato/chewy tobacco characters that I have found across the region that year, but it is, most importantly, accompanied by a core of fresh fruit. Excellent. One of the best in the region this vintage.

2018 Vasse Felix Tom Cullity Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec - 98+ Points

Made with 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17.5% Malbec and 4.5% Petit Verdot, this had a 100% wild ferment with 100% whole berry and was matured in French oak for 18 months (59% new). My thoughts on this excellent iteration of Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon, in this excellent season (unmarred by heat skies, bird threat or any kind of disease pressure), remain unchanged from the last time I tasted it. The 2018 Tom Cullity Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec joins the 2014 as two of the greatest wines every produced at Vasse Felix, and the explosive core of fruit through the middle and back palate illustrates the interminable length that this wine will endure in the cellar. It's a collector's wine, for sure, but also a wine that you should taste as soon as you can in order to understand what I view as being the region's capacity for power, length, tannic profile and fresh fruit. This is an exemplary wine here.

2019 Vasse Felix Tom Cullity Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec - 97 Points

Made with 78% Cabernet Sauvignon and 22% Malbec, this had a 100% wild ferment with 100% whole berry and was matured in French oak for 17 months (66% new). The 2019 season in Margaret River was cool and wet (in a good, balanced way), and it produced wines of presence, poise, detail and nuance. The only problem with 2019 as a vintage here was its proximity to the great 2018. However, the beauty of a year like 2019 is its ability to satisfy the drinkers who prefer cooler seasons. It's all mood-related for me, and on some days, a cool-season wine is preferred to a powerful one, and vice versa. No right or wrong. The low-yielding 2019 vintage is the first time the Tom Cullity wine did not include any percentage of Petit Verdot (previously, anything from 1% to 4.5% has made it into the blend). So, to the wine. On the nose, the 2019 Tom Cullity Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec is brooding and dark, with layers of blackberry, resin, chewing tobacco, nori, saltbush, togarashi spice (nori, Valencia orange peel, cayenne pepper, sesame, ginger, poppy seed, white pepper) and licorice root grace the aromatics. In the mouth, the wine follows suit. A seductively dark, satisfying and svelte wine, it's super good. This is a more polarizing style than the universally lauded 2018.

Read the full report HERE.

Chief Viticulturist Bart Molony Makes Halliday Wine Companion Viticulturist of the Year Shortlist

We are thrilled to announce Chief Viticulturist Bart Molony made the finalists for the 2024 Halliday Wine Companion Viticulturist of the Year Award.⁠
⁠
Bart's wealth of experience from numerous wine regions around the world and his passion for sustainable viticulture means every practice is guided by a strong focus on⁠ vineyard biodiversity and responsible, natural farming⁠ practices. ​He promotes a constant focus on soil⁠ biology in all vineyards, which is enhanced by Margaret⁠ River’s natural suitability to premium viticulture, as⁠ a result of its climatic and environmental attributes.⁠ Discover what Halliday Wine Companion had to say on Bart's nomination below.

"As Halliday Tasting Team member Jane Faulkner says, Bart Molony is ‘the one tasting the fruit saying, “Virginia, it’s time to come and check this out”.’ Virginia in this case is Virginia Willcock, famed chief winemaker at Vasse Felix in Margaret River, and maker of scores of fabulous wines. The implication is of course that Molony, who has been integral to the running of Vasse Felix’s vineyards since 2004, is a key part of this picture. We reckon he just might be. He’s planted vineyards, he’s expanded vineyards and he’s massaged established vineyards to the best form of their life. In short, he’s done (and is doing) it all."

⁠Stay tuned as winners will be announced on Wednesday, 2 August.⁠ Discover the full shortlist here.

2019 TOM CULLITY Takeover Weekend

Winter at the Estate began with our third annual TOM CULLITY takeover weekend; bursting with activity, guests, and a healthy dose of Cabernet in honour of the great man himself!

We enjoyed welcoming many guests, near and far, back to the Estate for the annual TOM CULLITY takeover. Highlights included a bespoke tasting menu, as well as a rare opportunity to taste the 2016 TOM CULLITY from our cellar and an exclusive seated vertical tasting.

Save the date for 1-3 June 2024, we hope to see you in Margaret River!

Vasse Felix Wins Gold and Silver at 2023 TEXSOM International Wine Awards

We are pleased to share that Vasse Felix was awarded a Gold and Silver medal at the 2023 TEXSOM International Wine Awards for 2021 Vasse Felix Chardonnay and 2020 Vasse Felix Cabernet Sauvignon, respectively.

For over thirty years, the TEXSOM Awards "brings the industry together to identify and champion wines of quality and distinction from around the world". Judging took place April 30, through May 3rd in Las Colinas, Texas. The Awards garnered over 2,300 entries from 25 countries.

Entries were blind-tasted and judged by 42 renowned tastemakers from across the country. Of the entries judged, the judges awarded 1,677 medals: 19 Judges’ Selection medals, 76 Platinum medals, 233 Gold medals, 676 Silver medals, and 673 Bronze medals. 

Chef Cam Jones' Roasted Lamb Leg & Sauce Paloise

INGREDIENTS

Lamb 
1 x 2-2.5kg lamb leg 
Sea salt 
Freshly cracked black pepper 
Lamb Rub 
150ml extra virgin olive oil 
Zest of one lemon 
20g rosemary 
10g thyme 
10g tarragon 
2tbs Dijon mustard 
10 x cloves of garlic 

Sauce Paloise 
*Tarragon vinegar, prepare 24hrs prior
200ml white wine vinegar 
20g tarragon 
5 x peppercorns
6 x egg yolks
*50ml tarragon vinegar 
50ml warm water 
20ml fresh lemon juice 
250g ghee (melt, set aside, keep warm) 
20g chopped mint 
Salt to taste

PREP 24 HOURS BEFORE
To prepare tarragon vinegar, place all tarragon vinegar ingredients in a pot and bring to boil, take off the heat, place into a container and store overnight in the fridge. Strain for use in Sauce Paloise.

METHOD
Preheat the oven to 160°C. Season the lamb well with salt and pepper. Then seal it off in a large pan on medium/high heat until golden. Place the lamb on wire rack in a roasting tray and set aside.

Combine all lamb rub ingredients in food processor and blend for a couple of minutes. Brush the rub over the lamb and place the lamb in the oven. Set aside remaining lamb rub.

Roast lamb for one hour, occasionally brushing with the lamb rub as you turn it. Test the meat with a thermometer placed in the thickest part of the cut. The temperature should be 55°C. Rest the lamb for 20 minutes prior to serving. 

To prepare the Sauce Paloise, put a pot of water on to simmer. Place the egg yolks, tarragon vinegar, warm water and half of the lemon juice into a heatproof bowl that will fit on top of the pot. Place the bowl over the pot of water and whisk until the mixture becomes thick, remove from the heat. Slowly add the ghee in a steady stream while whisking continuously until all ghee is incorporated. Mix in the remaining lemon juice and mint, season to taste. 

Set aside, warm and covered until serving. Enjoy with a glass of 2020 Vasse Felix Cabernet Sauvignon. 
 

Margaret River Region 2022 Vintage Cabernet Tasting

On Friday 5 May, we explored the world of Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon, tasting unfinished Cabernet barrel samples from the 2022 vintage.

Over 50 Margaret River producers generously shared almost 100 Cabernet barrel samples for the annual tasting, providing a wealth of invaluable insight into the incredible 2022 vintage.

Tim Shand of Voyager and Lee Haselgrove, Consultant Viticulturist, led the discussion on the vintage samples, with input from our own Chief Winemaker Virginia Willcock.

A dry and warm summer, with sustained warmth day and night through December, January and February, possibly influenced by another La Niña season. A warm and rapid veraison for reds in early February was ideal and saw the Cabernet’s desirable ripe flavours pronounce themselves quickly, resulting in a low yielding vintage, primarily due to spring conditions over the past two years.

Broadly in this warmer year, Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon is showing incredible fruit power. Tim shared his insights with attendees around restraint in winemaking, to really let the power of fruit shine through.

Anticipation builds for the 'Brilliant' 2019 TOM CULLITY

Excitement is mounting for the release of the 2019 TOM CULLITY as the first of the critic reviews roll in.

Awarded 98 points and named "Brilliant" by Ray Jordan, the new release also received praise from Angus Hughson (Winepilot) who pronounced the 2019 a "Fred Astaire vintage; fine, detailed, ultra-precise and will surprise with its longevity."

Explore the latest reviews in full below. Offically available May 1, we'll be sharing more details on this delicate and concentrated vintage soon, including a very special TOM CULLITY takeover at the Estate. In the meantime, explore the story of the TOM CULLITY here.

-------

98 Points
Ray Jordan 
Winepilot

"This wine shows the benefit of an extra year in the bottle. It’s coming together really well. Not the perfume of the 2018, but there is structure and poise here. Pronounced seaweed nori aroma with blackcurrant fruitiness and slightly toasty oak. This was a vintage that continues to reveal itself and should never be overlooked. It has such a seamless and slinky integrated palate that it just coasts through effortlessly to a sustained long finish. A beautiful medium bodied wine. Normally this wine gets a small amount of petit verdot but because of the cooler vintage, none was included in the 2019. You really get a sense of the prettiness and purity plus the detail in the wine when you get to  the end of the glass. Brilliant."

98 Points
Tyson Stelzer
Wine Business Magazine

"I love the purity and restraint of the cool, long­ripening season. Tom Cullity bears a classic confidence, founded in historic wines, captured in the mastery of Virginia Willcock, and heightened with 22% Malbec and 66% new French oak barriques. Even on its release at four years of age it’s still a tightly-clenched baby, yet bears every hallmark of greatness in time to come. I love the bright redcurrant mood of this season, the complexing nuances of bay and thyme, the perfumed lift of rose hip, the intricate, rigid frame of tannin endurance, and a finish that holds long and strong."

97 Points
Andrew Caillard MW
The Vintage Journal

"Medium deep crimson. Fragrant pure blackcurrant, chinotto, hint violet aromas with vanilla, roasted chestnut notes. Generously concentrated with ample cassis, roasted chestnut flavours, fine lacy/ grainy textures, lovely mid-palate richness/ volume and fresh well integrated acidity. Finishes chalky/ al dente firm with bittersweet notes. Impressively balanced wine with superb pure fruit definition, oak complexity and gentle tannin flow. This should age brilliantly well."

97 Points
James Suckling
Jamesuckling.com

"A dense and layered red with blackcurrants, mushroom, bark, and forest flowers with hints of fresh sage. Medium-bodied with a pretty core of currants and sweet berries with hints of dried and fresh herbs. So creamy and polished in texture. Extremely long and persistent. Drinks wonderfully now. Savory."

96 Points
Angus Hughson
Winepilot

"This genuine 2019 claret style from Margaret River, made up of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon and a hefty 22% Malbec, radiates with red and black currant fruits, a gentle leafy lift plus a powerful undertow of inky fruit and toasty oak in perfect balance. A mid weight, and elegant shape with juicy acidity and al-dente tannins underpin bright and pure blackberry and blackcurrant flavours with savoury touches of cocoa and cedar. Beautifully proportioned, it then delivers a wonderfully long finish with touches of tobacco and dried herbs. A Fred Astaire vintage; fine, detailed, ultra-precise and will surprise with its longevity."