2022 Tom Cullity

Vasse Felix, Margaret River’s founding wine estate, was established by Dr Thomas Brendan Cullity in 1967. Among his first plantings were Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec vines, from which he produced the estate’s first red wine. The Tom Cullity descends from these original vines and represents the purest expression of our history, place and vintage; the pinnacle of Vasse Felix.

87% CABERNET SAUVIGNON, 13% MALBEC

A limited quantity of six bottle cellaring cases and magnums are available, follow the links to order.

More Information

Find a Previous Vintage

Tasting Note & Winemaking Detail

Six bottles of the 2022 TOM CULLITY

More Information

Introducing the 10th Vintage Release of TOM CULLITY, a timeless tribute from the original vines that shaped Margaret River Cabernet.

Tom’s plots mark the origins of Cabernet Sauvignon in Margaret River, born of one man’s vision to see vines prosper in this remote, unproven corner of the world. A critic recently described TOM CULLITY’s ‘calm authority’ during a 10-year vertical tasting. It’s a trait befitting the wine, the namesake and the old vines on the knoll, which are as much a beacon now as they were in 1967. From a notable vintage, this tenth release is a treasured jewel for your discerning cellar.

While a rainy, cool spring delayed vine development, sustained warmth in December, January and February helped the vines catch up, and for Cabernet specifically, a rapid veraison moved the fruit’s flavour profile into a beautifully expressive spectrum, supported by a long, even ripening season. Bunch counts were strong; however, bunches were tiny from the season’s warm and dry conditions.

Poised elegance and vivid perfumes were preserved, with a core of concentrated, expressive and striking flavour from the compact, intense grape berries. Tannins are exquisite, sleek and ever-present. Malbec bunches were particularly tiny, leading to the smallest inclusion in TOM CULLITY’s history.

“It feels like yesterday we released the first Tom Cullity, and here we are 10 years later, reflecting on our amazing development and evolution here at Vasse Felix. Yet the Tom Cullity remains the same in its stature, meaning and beauty from the old vines, and tells the story of only the minor nuances of 10 beautiful seasons. The 2022 simply looks vibrant, energetic, powerful and delicious.”

Chief Winemaker, Virginia Willcock

The 2022 TOM CULLITY was crafted with the utmost precision to capture the season’s concentrated beauty. The fruit was hand-harvested between 25 March and 6 April, destemmed as whole berries and allowed to begin wild fermentation. The fermenting wine was pumped over multiple times a day, with oxidative handling and extended maceration gently extracting flavour and tannins. The wine was transferred directly to our finest French oak barriques for 18 months of maturation with minimal intervention, before blending and filtering prior to bottling. The 2022 TOM CULLITY is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Malbec.

This is the tenth release of TOM CULLITY, from 55-year-old vines. It is the pinnacle of Vasse Felix, a wine of rare provenance and enduring grace. Capturing the essence of Margaret River’s most historic terroir, TOM CULLITY stands as both a living legacy and a timeless tribute to the vision that established this region among the world’s great Cabernet estates. More than a flagship, it embodies the soul of Vasse Felix.

More Information

Tasting Note & Winemaking Detail

APPEARANCE
Deep garnet, purple/black tinge.

NOSE
A vibrant, fragrant perfume of black and red berries with notes of autumn leaves. Liquorice root, vetiver, wet stone, and a dusting of mushroom powder add beautiful complexity. Classic hints of native peppy tree, potpourri, and dried orange rind emerge, interwoven with a whisper of sandalwood.

PALATE
Plump and succulent, with an energetic core where fresh acidity intertwines with a fine-grained tannin edge. Dark berry fruits linger, accented by a hint of liquorice and lantana blossom.

WINEMAKING
25 March - 6 April 2022
100% Whole Berry, Wild Fermented
Matured in French Oak Barriques (65% new), 18 months
14% Alc

2022 Tom Cullity

Open PDF

“A robust expression of this famed wine from the oldest cabernet sauvignon vines in Margaret River... The pure, refined palate has a mineral edge, deeply scented and finely tuned with seamlessly integrated tannins. There’s a real sense of the wild Australian ecosystem here, with rainforest-like freshness and a mint-driven scent.”

98 Points, Ryan Montgomery, James Suckling
"This is a superb wine. It’s elegant, balanced, and beautifully presented... The palate is beautifully integrated and woven with fine, silky chalky tannins and fine-grained oak in support... A wine that is both pretty and powerful, with refinement and elegance."

98 Points, Ray Jordan, WA Wine Review
"Violets and dark berries on the nose, with a touch of regional nori/seaweed; reserved and intense, taut and quietly powerful with concentrated flavour and a juicy mid-palate. Full-fisted grip to finish. An elegant and beautifully proportioned wine."

97 Points, Huon Hooke, The Real Review
“While in a richer framework, with plentiful flavour and structure, this remains in a Vasse Felix spectrum - so it's refined and beautifully detailed. From this vintage onwards, the flagship red will be released on October 1st, a good six or so months earlier than before. Why? Winemaker Virginia Willcock says matter-of-factly, 'because it's ready.' It sure is."

97 Points, Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion 2026
"The 2022 Tom Cullity Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec is superb. The season was fantastic and has been responsible for many excellent wines, wines that are both plush and precise, detailed and approachable in their youth. In character, it could be compared to the 2018 vintage for its balance and grace. Here, the tannins speak of sweet tobacco and flaked milk chocolate, bay leaf, nori and even a hint of sandalwood through the finish. The fruit is right on the raspberry spectrum, and it additionally offers notes of blood plum, cassis and mulberry. This is a superstar wine."

98 Points, Erin Larkin, Robert Parker Wine Advocate

The Story of the TOM

The Tom Cullity descends from these original vines and represents the purest expression of our history, place and vintage; the pinnacle of Vasse Felix.

Watch Video

Tom's Blocks

Tom’s old vine Houghton clone Cabernet blocks (H,I,J & L) are grown on original roots, in the ancient gravel loam soils of Vasse Felix’s Home Vineyard site by the Wilyabrup Brook. In their maturity, Tom’s blocks ride through the challenges of vintage to reflect the beauty of the seasonal conditions. Comprising three different row orientations on a gentle slope overlooking the Estate, Tom’s old vine blocks represent a thorough representation of the Cabernet vintage through this special reference point, with each differing aspect contributing unique characters to each block. With vine roots set deep into the clay depth for ongoing access to water, our job is to nourish their health with sustainable viticulture practices to preserve the vines that are of such historical significance to the Margaret River wine region.

Learn more

Vineyards

Tom's Blocks

MORE WINES
YOU MAY LIKE

Shop all wines

2022 Cabernet Sauvignon

2023 Heytesbury Chardonnay

Sold Out