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2016 Filius Cabernet Sauvignon

'Son of' the Vasse Felix Cabernet Sauvignon. It carries the structure, power and tannins of classic Cabernet in an earlier drinking, more forward style from fruit sourced from each of the Vasse Felix vineyards.

DOWNLOAD TASTING NOTES

Tasting Notes

COLOUR Bright maroon with a red brick edge. NOSE Deep, savoury Cabernet characters of blackcurrant, dark cherry, damp earth and cedar mingle with a spicy complexity care of the vibrant Malbec portion. PALATE Luscious and juicy upfront, the dark berry fruit is complemented by savoury elements of beef stock and dried woody herbs. There is a wonderful length of flavour as the palate transitions to a fine, textural and dusty drying finish in classical Cabernet style.

Winemaker Notes

WINEMAKER'S NOTES The great structural elements of fine Margaret River Cabernet are embraced with the dark fruit of Malbec to make a very Vasse Felix style. After 12 months maturation in barrique where traditional oxidative handling helps to soften and round the tannin profile, the Cabernet is blended with the ideal percentage of Malbec to create a savoury fine wine with medium weight, where big is not considered best.

Varietals:

Production Notes

86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Malbec

Alcohol:

Alcohol %

13.5

Cellaring Potential:

Aging

Now until 2023

Harvested:

Harvest Date

March-April 2016

Oak:

Fermentation

French Oak Barrique, 19% new, 81% 1-5 year old, 12 months

TA:

Acid

6.2g/L

pH:

pH

3.59

Residual Sugar:

Residual Sugar

0.39

Bottled:

Bottling Date

July 2017

Vintage Notes

2016

VINTAGE DESCRIPTION

Moderate spring conditions at the end of 2015 helped establish a healthy fruitset and better yields than the previous two seasons. January temperatures were warm, interrupted by one rainfall event late in the month, great viticulture management, clean, well-trimmed canopies and subsequent warm weather prevented disease risk.

2016 Filius Cabernet Sauvignon

Reviews

95 points

Ray Jordan

The Filius punches well above its weight and is often a go-to cabernet when I'm looking for some modestly priced drinking. This has slightly more palate grunt than the previous wines but still with that distinctive angular style. Plenty of leafy fruit, with an edge of svoury black olive. Slightly more wild ferment and a subtle increase in new oak have contributed to a meaty mid palate. So bright.
91 points

James Suckling

Red plums intermingle with eucalyptus and redcurrants on the nose. Lots of boisterous red cherries permeate the medium-bodied palate, where medium-chewy tannins carve out a focused finish. Drink now.
Intense

Gourmet Traveller

Filius is the "second label" for Vasse Felix, but there are plenty of winemakers who would be happy to have this as their "first" wine.
Dense & Dynamic

Culinaire Magazine Canada-Tom Firth

A dense and dynamic cabernet sauvignon from Australia, and quite reasonable on the wallet too. Currants and cherries with deep, savoury notes and grippy tannins that aren't "too much" now, but this will hold up in the cellar for a few years. Pair with high quality, well-seasoned steaks if you can. Delicious.
93 points

Gary Walsh - The Wine Front

The entry level Cabernet from Vasse Felix, and very good it is too. Perfume, earthy lead pencil stuff, dark fruits, a little bay leaf and spice. It’s medium-bodied, dark fruit, tobacco, dark chocolate liquorice, herbal tension, crisp and so well defined, firm fine tannin, tight long finish. Complex savoury flavour, excellent shape, and high drinking pleasure. Tops.
Wine of the Week

Winsor Dobbin

This impressive red is the baby brother of the world-renowned Vasse Felix Cabernet Sauvignon and Vasse Felix Tom Cullity - and it proved a major hit with my tasting group. It's a delicious medium-bodied cabernet with plenty of complexity but it opens up more quickly than its more expensive siblings. There is a splash of malbec in the mix, too, along with softness and immediate appeal. A red where big is not best, but balance is key. From young vines from a very good vintage, this has excellent length and and palate interest. Excellent drinking.
15.5/20 points

Jancis Robinson

Deep purple. Ripe cassis, minty-herbal, with pyrazine tones. Fresh palate of ripe cassis, capsicum, spice and tobacco. Creamy finish.
90 points

James Halliday's Cellaring Selections

A slightly turbid appearance; no-beg-your-pardon style, raw-boned, but undeniably varietal and true to place. Time is on its side.
91 points

Huon Hooke - The Real Review

Deepish red/purple colour, with a very smoky sulfide and toasty oak bouquet that tends to dominate the fruit at first sniff. It does develop cedar, violet, mulberry and tobacco notes with airing. The wine is intense and full-bodied, with abundant cassis cabernet fruit spliced to generous oak throughout the palate. The finish is firm and tight, dry and slightly grippy. It would be best with protein when young.
92 points

Waters and Wine

Here’s a lovely and well-priced expression of Margaret River Cabernet from one of the region’s pioneers, Vasse Felix. The 2016 Filius Cabernet Sauvignon shows a terrific core of fruit and nicely balanced structure that should see this develop nicely in bottle over the next four to six years.
91 points

Natalie Maclean (nataliemaclean.com)

A medium plus-bodied Australian Cabernet Sauvignon with a smattering of Malbec added to the blend. On the nose, pronounced dark cherry, minty and herb aromas with ripe dark cherry, plum and vanilla savoury herbs and oak spice flavours on the palate. The wine is matured for one year in French oak barrels.
91 points

John Szabo MS, WineAlign (Canada)

Classic, cool climate style cabernet here, complete with an attractive herbal side, like Bordeaux used to have in the 1970s and 1980s. I love this style, vibrant, lively balanced, fruity-fleshy-fresh. Tannins are well managed and the length is excellent.
92 points

Tyson Stelzer - WBM

Could a sub-$30 Cabernet Malbec blend be any more varietal than this? It’s a big textbook of Cabernet characters, filled with everything from re- and blackcurrants to cigar box, bolstered by the savoury edge of Malbec and the nutty complexity of French oak. Firm fine tannins promise medium-term potential. Value.
92 points

Wine Spectator

“Expressive and dense, with fresh loam notes and herbal accents of sage and rosemary that mingle with a muscular core of dried currant, huckleberry and green tea flavors. Shows wonderful harmony on the finish, where a spicy, cedary detail kicks in.”
90 points

James Halliday Wine Companion 2020

A slightly turbid appearance; no beg your pardon style, raw-boned, but undeniably varietal and true to place. Time is on its side.
4.5/5 stars

Winestate - Best Wines of 2019

Dried herb-like bouquet bordering on floral underscored with dark cassis fruit. Nicely ageing cabernet flavours with toasty oak and very fine powdery tannins.
4.5/5 stars

Winestate - Best Wines of 2019

Dried herb-like bouquet bordering on floral underscored with dark cassis fruit. Nicely ageing cabernet flavours with toasty oak and very fine powdery tannins.

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