A contemporary house style with versatile drinkability, Filius is a vibrant and modern Chardonnay with pure fruit, wild complexities and mouth-watering natural acidity. An earlier drinking style with alluring savoury nuances from Vasse Felix’s quality-led, minimal intervention winemaking approach.
A year of peculiar weather challenges due to the La Niña season, where our commitment to organic viticulture was vital to the successful growth of quality, balanced fruit. A cool and wet spring prompted the need for an intense leaf plucking program to mitigate disease risk. December and January luckily were very warm and dry, then canopy management was a priority throughout February and March to combat unusually warm and moist conditions. A rainfall event in early February provided a timely drink for the red varietals, followed by warm weather which was ideal for the Chardonnay to achieve ripeness. A second rainfall incident in early March was followed by sunny and breezy conditions to dry off the fruit for healthy ripening. With our judicious canopy management and a crop of naturally resilient grapes, we are pleased to say that fantastic quality fruit was ripened and harvested with little-to-no disease in our vineyards.
93 Points
A ripper little chardonnay from Chief Winemaker Virginia Willcock thanks to the warm and dry vintage which offers outstanding value. The winemaking is perfectly pitched to offer attractive upfront fruit and complexity in an earlier drinking style. Bright medium straw in colour it opens with tangy nectarine and white peach fruits typical of Margaret River that is lifted by spicy, nougat oak complexity with the slightest hint of smoky gunflint. There is then good generosity of fruit and subtle oak on the palate with a slightly creamy texture but also chalky acidity. Precision and fruit focus to finish again mark this as very classy for the price. Enjoy it over the next five years. (v20)
92 points
This entry-level wine opens with a lift of tangy citrus and stone fruit, with just a hint of oak and native yeast complexities. The palate is light to medium in weight with a gentle textural creaminess, bright fruit and a salty crunchto the acidity. It’s a classy yet approachable wine that demonstrates how much Aussie Chard has grown up. (v20)
"Best By Wines"
This label is fast becoming one of the benchmark value Chardonnays in this country. It’s a fine, relatively lean and textural wine but doesn’t skimp on fruit and flavour. There’s already some pleasing smoky, nutty and mineral complexity to add colour to its bright expression of lemon and grapefruit flavour, while it finishes with genuine drive and refreshingly tangy acidity. If the texture, savoury aspect and refreshing, briny tautness attracted you to the village Chablis of yesteryear, try this wine.