B-21 Top Recommendation Read More
Fans of rich and robust Cabernet Sauvignon looking for an outstanding “drink now” option need look no further than the 93 pt. 2020 Vasse Felix Filius Cabernet Sauvignon from Australia’s Margaret River, boasting fragrant, earthy aromas and bright, dark fruit hinting of cedar layered with smooth tannins, from one of the country’s top Cab producing regions according to Australian expert James Halliday and priced to enjoy often.
Establishing Vasse Felix in the late 1960s nearly three hours south of the Western Australian capital of Perth, founder Tom Cullity was the first to plant commercial vineyards on the remote Margaret River peninsula, gaining international recognition over the next decades for crafting “outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon” according to the Wine Advocate’s Lisa Perrotti-Brown. Owned by the Holmes family since 1987, Vasse Felix has expanded its estate holdings to over 300 hectares spanning four distinct sites on the river’s ancient gravel beds, enjoying a warm, dry Mediterranean climate that encourages optimal ripening while sea breezes from the surrounding Southern and Indian Oceans preserve the grapes' natural acidity. Described as having “a sure hand with red wines” by Vinous critic Josh Raynolds, longtime chief winemaker Virginia Willcox blended mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with Malbec and a little Petit Verdot for the 2020 Vasse Felix Filius Cab, aging each varietal separately in 10% new French oak with the remainder in 1-5 year old barriques for 12 months before blending, her restrained use of new oak yielding “balanced elegance” according to the Wine Advocate’s Joe Czerwinski.
From an outstanding 2020 vintage considered one of the region's best ever, the muscular 93 pt. 2020 Vasse Felix Filius Cabernet Sauvignon offers rich concentrated fruit balanced by smooth, integrated tannins, mirroring the Margaret River’s movement “towards wines with greater balance and refinement” according to Vinous critic Angus Hughson, an appealing, easy-drinking Cab at an equally appealing price. |