Vasse Felix Filius Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
This is a wine that punches well above its weight. It’s got bags of delicious flavour, tons of complexity and ageability, and incredible Margs pedigree for the price. And, it’s a very bloody good price at that. It’s an approachable style, that doesn’t need a decade of cooling off to find itself. This is a wine that you’ll enjoy a dozen times over while you wait for that premium cabernet you’ve got stashed away to become drinkable. And for that, it wins in my book. It’s wine for the here and now.
Profile
Think classic Margs cab on the palate. It’s lavishly flavoured, and generously welcoming. Mid bodied, mulberry and blackberry-fruited, with a peppering of cocoa and coffee grounds. The tannins are firm, but not too aggressive. It’ll age well for years yet, but you might even decide that’s a game best left to other wines that absolutely need it.
Part of our Women in Wine Collection
This wine is part of our Women in Wine collection. We are committed to ALWAYS having wines available that are made by women. We already support so many women in the industry but we want to make this much more transparent and visible for our mofos. We want to make a real and lasting impact in an industry that is sadly still dominated by men. And this is the first step. Here’s to our Women in Wine!
Virginia Willcock is one of the most awarded female winemakers in Australia. She was named ‘Gourmet Traveller WINE’s Australian Winemaker of the Year’ in 2012, ‘Winemaker of the Year’ by The West Australian Good Wine Guide 2013, and‘Winemaker of the Year’ in the 2017 Australian Women in Wine Awards. She has 27 vintages in Margaret River under her belt, and also made wine overseas in Albania, Italy and New Zealand.
Reviews
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 savoury black olive. Slightly more wild ferment and a subtle increase in new oak have contributed to a meaty mid palate. So bright.”
Full price $28.00 from the producer.
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It’s cool, we get it, you want to know absolutely everything about this wine. Well here you go, go nuts.
Specs
- Region
- Margaret River
- Vintage
- 2016
- Cellaring
- 2027
- Preservatives
- Sulphites
- Alcohol by Vol.
- 13.5%
- Closure
- Screwcap
- Bottle Vol
- 750mL
- Blend Info
- 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Malbec
- Serving Temp.
- 17.0°C
Tasting
From the producer
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.
Winemaking
Viticulture
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.
Crafting
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 12-15 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.
Region
Margaret River
Margaret River is as elusive as it is beautiful, such that you really need to visit to truly grasp its haunting beauty. Über-premium Cabernet, Chardonnay and Semillon Sauvignon Blanc blends grow here. 'Margies' only produces 3% of the country's grapes, but commands over 20% of its premium wine market, and hasn't had an off vintage since 2006. You start to realise how often this region is overlooked when you can list brands like Leeuwin, Cape Mentelle, Vasse Felix, and Voyager, not to mention Cullen, Pierro, Moss Wood, and Deep Woods. It's safe to say that it's time for a revisit.
The rules are there ain’t no rules, but here are some foods we think will work pretty well with this wine...
Goes with
Traditional roast lamb
Ingredients
- 2kg leg of lamb, fat trimmed
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1.5kg chat potatoes
- Basic gravy (makes 2 to 2 1/2 cups):
- 2 cups beef stock
- 3/4 cup red wine
- 2 1/2 tablespoons plain flour
Directions
- Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced. Lightly grease roasting pan. Place lamb in pan. Combine oil, rosemary and garlic in a bowl. Rub half the oil mixture over lamb. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes.
- Reduce oven temperature to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Roast lamb, basting with remaining oil mixture every 20 minutes, for 1 hour 15 minutes for medium or until cooked to your liking. Add potatoes to pan for last 40 minutes, turning halfway through cooking.
- Remove lamb from oven. Cover loosely with foil. Stand for 10 minutes. Carve. Serve with potatoes.
- Basic Gravy: Transfer meat (and any vegetables) to a plate to rest. Combine stock and wine in a jug. Skim fat from roasting pan, leaving 1 1/2 tablespoons pan juices and fat in pan. Place pan over high heat. Add flour. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 1 to 2 minutes or until mixture bubbles and becomes golden. Add juices from resting meat. Slowly add stock mixture to pan, stirring constantly. Cook, scraping pan, for 8 to 10 minutes or until thickened.