Winemaker Notes
#58 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2018
'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.
Maroon color with a purple tint, the 2015 vintage unfolds a classical savory Cabernet perfume. Vibrant blackcurrant fruit with gravel earth, hints of venison, mushrooms and truffles mingle with a fine sage-like herbal lift. Fragrant spiced oak notes sit beautifully underneath, delivering a touch of classical cedar. A light entrance leads to juicy fruit with bright acidity, with flavors of blackcurrant and woodsy native forest. Shapely as a Cabernet should be, the power starts to build with a fine tannin profile, leaving a lengthy dry, linear finish.
Blend: 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Malbec
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Opens with a fresh green accent reminiscent of tomato leaf and sage, giving a savory, peppery note to the plush, velvety cassis and plum core. Finds balance between grace and power, with spice and herb elements lingering on the finish. Drink now through 2028. Top 100 Wine of 2018
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James Suckling
Ripe summer berries with a sense of brightness and freshness. Red fruits and some leafy, herbal edge, too. The juicy and elegant palate has a gently herbal, succulent and tangy style.
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Wine Enthusiast
At nearly half the price of Vasse Felix's premier-range Cab, Filius is less cellar worthy and more approachable young, but it still carries the winery's classic, restrained, mineral-driven stamp. A nose of red currant, raspberry, dark chocolate nibs and licorice is wrapped in a distinctive graphite and sea-spray character. Tart red fruit and graphite continue on the palate which is tight and focused with fine savory tannins and semminly effortless elegance and restraint. Drink now - 2028.
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.
Home to some of Australia’s most elegant and long-lived red and white wines, Margaret River is situated in the farthest reaches of Western Australia. Relatively warm and dry, the region is cooled by breezes from the Indian Ocean. Margaret River takes some inspiration from Bordeaux, producing top-quality Cabernet Sauvignons and Bordeaux Blends with firm structure, mouthwatering acidity, balanced alcohol and notes of herbs and spice. For white wines, refreshing blends of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon as well as complex, age-worthy Chardonnays are regional specialties.