#2 Top Value Wines 2023

Wine Spectator - MaryAnn Worobiec

Margaret River Cabernets are remarkable for their combination of elegant structure and juicy fruit flavors, with the best among them demonstrating a particular finesse. Vasse Felix is a pioneer in the region, commanding more than 50 years of winemaking—and, under the leadership of chief winemaker Virginia Willcock, the wines have never been better. The Filius line of Vasse Felix wines is meant to be approachable while young. For this bottling, Margaret River Cabernet is blended with Malbec from estate vineyards. Willcock employs wild-yeast fermentation in open-top fermenters, resulting in expressive aromatics and soft tannins, followed by 11 months of aging in French oak barrels before blending. When Willcock first started experimenting with indigenous fermentation, what she found was “mind-blowing,” with the wines showing more heart, soul and earth than ever before. “We’re finding that the wines are more naturally sound,” she says. “There is more vibrancy to the fruit.” V21