Stay in touch with the latest news and happenings at Vasse Felix, in Margaret River and on tour around the world.
Author | Tom Pearsall, Margaret River Photographer
It's not unusual for me to have to stumble out of bed before the sun is up - if the surf is forecast to be good - but this shoot was unusual as the sun was nowhere near rising. It was 1am. Deep into the 2023 vintage.
I was searching for a team picking the king of grapes in Margaret River, Cabernet. It was as dark as the ocean depths as I turned into the Home Vineyard at Vasse Felix, camera bag heavy enough to set off the no-seat belt warning in the passenger seat. Bing, bing, bing.
I noted the distant glow of lights in the far valley as I wound down my window. Sleep fuzzed brain relieved I was in the right place. The Indian Ocean's cool breeze swept through the grapevines.
The distinctive scent of Margaret River, sea air and forest humus, hung in the night air as I arrived in the relative calm of the Valley Cabernet plots.
I was welcomed by a surprisingly (for the hour) perky bunch; working away, cracking jokes and drinking coffee between rows. For a moment everyone turned their head torches off. The silence, but for the wind through the vines and a lone early bird, in combination with the wonder of the infinitely vast southern sky sticks in my mind most. Likely a mundane moment for the men and women picking grapes night after night.
The harvest team worked tirelessly to ensure the grapes reached the winery in perfect condition. And the winery team wasn't sleeping either. The lights were on and everyone was on task. A humbling example of commitment to their craft.
In the quiet of that night, driving home to my warm bed, I found a connection between the grapes and the waves. Both were shaped by nature's rhythms, and both rewarded patience and dedication.
No fancy words could describe it – just a moment in time, a memory of Margaret River Cabernet under the starry sky.
Credit @tom_pearsall_
_
More on 50 Years of Margaret River Cabernet here.
Author | Max Veenhuyzen
I’m going to come clean: I don’t like cabernet sauvignon. Or at least I didn’t think I did. Too big. Too tannic. Too much.
Then along come these sleek modern cabernets from Vasse Felix and other forward-thinking Margaret River wineries to make me question my life choices. These wines are supple, they're detailed, they’re approachable. And they’re worlds apart from the heavy-set cab savs that I grew up thinking I had to love and cellar for like 100 years.
I’ll admit, I can be pretty biased when it comes to wine. It’s nice to have my biases challenged and, in this instance, absolutely detonated.
Author | Emma Farrelly, Director of Wine & Beverages, State Buildings
Margaret River Cabernet is such an expressive and refreshing style of wine.
I absolutely adore the flavour profile of it and the fact that it has plenty of shape and frame. Drinking Cabernet never feels boring as there is so much energy and complexity.
Cabernet Sauvignon is a variety that expresses ‘site’ very distinctly. Here, it shows ironstone, sea spray and red fruit characters that speak very much of Wilyabrup.
Often the perception is that Cabernet is a heavier wine that needs plenty of time to age. While aging these wines is always rewarding, freshness and elegance is a hallmark of the Premier Cabernet style.
Something that really highlighted this for me was the Cabernet Society dinner held at Vasse Felix, late 2018. The dinner - based solely around this beautiful ‘king of grapes’ - provided an exceptional wine and food experience that is etched in my memory. I remember as we drank the 2014 Premier Cabernet with dinner, and tasted the 2014 Tom Cullity out of magnum after dinner, which to this day remains one of my favourite vintages of the past decade.
After dinner we were ushered into the red barrel hall where we had the chance to explore various expressions of Cabernet and its friends Malbec and Petit Verdot. There was a feeling of excitement and intrigue in the air, mingled with the rich aroma of the barrel hall and the alluring scent of Cabernet.
I honestly thought we were going to get tattooed or something that night! It felt like an induction into an exclusive club and something very fun to be a part of. Dark night, warm fire and Cabernet filled cool air. Really special.
Author | Bart Molony, Chief Viticulturist Vasse Felix
I feel very privileged and humble to be growing grapes for the wine that was the first commercial red wine from the region. The lean soil from which these grapes are grown is the best suited. The gravel loam texture and underlying clay ensures the vines are perfectly balanced - healthy but not luxurious. Cabernet Sauvignon is a strong and vigorous cultivar and if grown on rich soil, it is a little too productive in both vegetation and yield, rarely reaching optimal ripeness with the resultant wines dominated by vegetative and herbaceous characters.
Margaret River's climate is also key to the success of our Cabernet, the maritime influence of the Indian Ocean ensures that our ripening period is steady, allowing for full flavour development and the perfect balance between sugar, acidity and tannin ripeness in our grapes.
2010 was a special vintage for me. The vines were beautifully balanced and little intervention was required. Weather conditions were perfect, it was warm and dry but never too hot and the bird pressure was minimal. The 2010 Cabernet was harvested by hand at optimal ripeness and in fantastic condition. A standout vintage in my mind.
_
Author | Ian MacDonald, Home Vineyard Manager Vasse Felix
I have a vivid memory of the first red wine I drank that sparked something deep within me, a sense of what a really good wine offers as an experience, the complex layers of aromas; flowers, fruit, spice and savoury characters, the way tannins and acids can harmonise on the palate allowing the wine to linger for oh so long. I didn't have the language or understanding then, but what I was experiencing was how a wine can express the place where it is grown when well made. There was something about the freshness of this Cabernet, it seemed alive, elegant yet powerful, far beyond the few wines I had tried up until that point. I knew I liked wine but this was an epiphany, a genuine 'aha' moment. This wine, a Vasse Felix Cabernet Sauvignon, started me on my journey into exploring and learning about all things wine. Little did I know then, that 25 years later I would be managing the Estate's Home Vineyard in Wilyabrup. It gives me chills to think about it now.
Now embarking on my second season in Wilyabrup, the next stage of my journey is unfolding as I seek to understand the individual characters of the 20+ plots that craft the Vasse Felix Cabernet, and how best to farm this special place so the vines may truly express their individual terroir while maintaining the upmost respect and care for country - always remembering we are on Wadandi Boodja.
Cabernet is a resilient variety with a deep root system, however, to grow genuinely great Cabernet is certainly a challenge, a marriage between tannin and flavour ripeness while preventing excessive sugar levels. I am privileged to enjoy regular walks through the vineyard with both Virginia and Bart, where we discuss the finer details of growing Cabernet, culminating in my favourite time of year where we taste berries straight from the vine to make that all important decision of when to harvest our beautiful fruit.
Cabernet is indeed king, fresh and vibrant in it's youth, regal and wise with age. I am excited by my ongoing journey and growing relationship with Wilyabrup Cabernet and to discover how this 50th anniversary vintage evolves with time in bottle.
_
More on 50 Years of Margaret River Cabernet here.
Last Friday, vignerons and winemakers from across Margaret River assembled in the Vasse Felix Art Gallery to explore the world of Margaret River Chardonnay, tasting unfinished barrel samples from the 2023 vintage, generously contributed by producers throughout the region.
Over 100 samples were contributed by 44 Margaret River producers for this insightful annual tasting. We were thrilled to see the largest turnout of viticulturists at this event to date, providing an interesting point of view considering the challenges of growing great Chardonnay.
Discussions on the 2023 vintage were led by Luke Jolliffe, Chief Winemaker at Stella Bella and Steve Kirby, Group Vineyard Manager at Howard Park, who both commented on the strength of the 2023 samples, despite unusual weather conditions.
Wallcliffe samples were a particular standout of the tasting, with their characteristic 'al-dente' ripeness and incredible power and acid line.
Follow @vassefelixwines for more snaps from this collaborative Regional event.
Last week, for the first time, the International Wine and Spirits Competition (IWSC) travelled to Australia for an in situ judging event in Margaret River. In partnership with the Margaret River Wine Association, the expert judges were introduced to our Wine Paradise, exploring some of the region's key attractions in addition to tasting over 250 wines from local producers throughout the week.
We were delighted to host the IWSC Results Sundowner on Friday evening in the Vasse Felix Art Gallery, where more than 230 medals were awarded to Margaret River wines. As expected, the Region's hero varietals dominated the awards, of just over 20 golds, 11 were awarded to Chardonnay wines and 10 to Cabernet Sauvignon wines. Congratulations to all those awarded.
Master of Wine Alistair Cooper oversaw the judging panel which included international experts; Master of Wine Beth Pearce, Freddy Bulmer, Melania Battiston and Libby Brodie. They were joined by local Australian wine professionals – Randall Pollard, Erin Larkin, Chris Crawford and Emma Farrelly.
We were pleased to see four of our wines recognised in the awards;
2021 Filius Cabernet Sauvignon - Silver
2020 Vasse Felix Cabernet Sauvignon - Bronze
2022 Filius Chardonnay - Bronze
2021 Vasse Felix Chardonnay - Bronze
Discover more on the IWSC 2023 results here.
Images by Lauren Trickett.
We are thrilled to have been included in the Top 10 Restaurants of WA as part of Gourmet Traveller's Annual Restaurant Guide, announced today.
"Caves Road – arguably the cradle of the Margaret River wine region – is rich in history, yet also plays home to forward-thinkers aplenty. Among the vanguard is Vasse Felix, a powerhouse estate comprising a modern art gallery, sleek tasting room and urbane restaurant overlooking the region's original vines. The kitchen maintains the progressive momentum with detailed dishes big on deliciousness. Jerusalem artichoke hash browns make perfect podiums for tuna belly sashimi, while kingfish is cured in miso and sake, showered in cubes of capsicum jelly then finished with shio koji-infused macadamia milk and makrut lime vinaigrette. Slow-roasted Wagin duck breast stuffed with chicken and bacon farce, meanwhile, benefits greatly from shiitake chutney and gingery blackberry sauce. Service is just as engaging as the marquee wine list, which caters to both traditional and contemporary tastes. Desserts, in the vein of weightless olive-oil cake cloaked by fine strips of persimmon "leather", maintain the high right to the end."
Peruse the full Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide here. Restaurant bookings are highly encouraged and can be made via this link.
We are thrilled to have been named in US Wine & Spirits Magazine Top 100 Wineries, internationally, for 2023. Vasse Felix was one of only two Australian wineries included, alongside Penfolds, and the only from Margaret River.
Each year, Wine & Spirits creates this list based on wineries who have the most consistent performance and highest scores throughout the year, vetting thousands of producers in a two-step blind tasting to highlight the top 100 for their collections of outstanding wines.
In celebration of this accolade, Vasse Felix will be participating in the Wine & Spirits Top 100 Events in San Francisco on 11 October.
The full list is available HERE.
Guests were treated to the joys of Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay paired with premium Manjimup black truffles last weekend as part of WA Good Food Guide 'Truffles Unearthed' dining series.
Hosted by Estate Sommelier Evan Gill, and the winemaking team, diners enjoyed a decadent five-course paired menu prepared by Head Chef Cam Jones, which included the Icon wines the 2021 Heytesbury Chardonnay and 2019 TOM CULLITY Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec as well as a museum 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon. Enjoy some vignettes of the evening below.
We were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Margaret River pioneer and Vasse Felix visionary, David Gregg late last week.
David was originally employed by Dr Tom Cullity to be the winemaker and manager of Vasse Felix in 1973. Living on the Estate, David and his wife, Ann, were the driving forces in the management of the business and made an enormous contribution to its development, while also raising three daughters. The Greggs would go onto purchase Vasse Felix in 1984 before selling it to today’s owners, the Holmes à Court family, in 1987.
David was a visionary in the true sense of the word, laying the foundations for many milestone achievements at Vasse Felix. In 1987, he produced the first wine in Margaret River labelled “Classic Dry White,” coining the phrase which would go on to become a core regional asset. He was also the brains behind the Estate’s underground cellar, now The Vault; Vasse Felix’s wine museum.
In addition, David had a passion for sparkling wine, which he called his ‘jolly’. He made Vasse Felix’s first sparkling in 1985 and was the driving force behind what is now known as the Vasse Felix Restaurant, originally intended by David as a ‘Champagne Room’. The Restaurant was built in 1989 by the Holmes à Court family.
Fittingly, David and Ann Gregg were awarded the 2009 Margaret River Wine Association Lifetime Achievement Award, in honour of the significant contributions they have made to the Margaret River wine region.
We were thrilled to host David at the Estate’s 50th Anniversary dinner in 2017 (pictured below) where he spoke to these achievements and more.
Our condolences to Ann, Joanna, Kiersten and Rachel, and his many close family and friends. David will be sorely missed.