Vasse Felix Tom Cullity

Vasse Felix Tom Cullity bottle image

Wine Description

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 pinnacle of Vasse Felix.

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Acclaim
“In 1968, when Tom Cullity planted cabernet sauvignon and malbec in Margaret River, he was one of the early pioneers. Virginia Willcock farms the descendants of those vines for this top selection from the estate. Her 2019, from a low-yielding vintage, has a beautiful wild-blueberry scent, a cabernet ready to fill the mouth with its concentration, with the taste of fruit grown in a temperately cool place. The wine’s floral spice lasts, edged by the grassy herbal cut of its tannins.” — Wine & Spirits, Jan 2024
“A dense and layered red with blackcurrants, mushroom, bark, and forest flowers with hints of fresh sage. Medium-bodied with a pretty core of currants and sweet berries with hints of dried and fresh herbs. So creamy and polished in texture. Extremely long and persistent. Drinks wonderfully now. Savory. A cabernet sauvignon and malbec blend. Own roots. From organically grown grapes.”
— James Suckling, Oct 2022
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Vineyard & Production Info
Soil composition
deep gravel loam soil over clay
Year vineyard planted:
1967
Harvest time:
March-April 2016
First vintage of this wine:
2013
Average Vine Age:
53 years
Certifying Organizations:
NASSA
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Winemaking & Aging
Prefermentation Technique:
100% wild yeast, whole berry
Time on its skins:
11-30 days
Varietal composition:
78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Malbec
Fermentation container:
78% Static Fermentation, 22% Open Fermentation
Malolactic fermentation:
Full
Fining agent:
Egg white
Type of aging container:
Barriques
Type of oak:
French
Length of aging before bottling:
19 months
Age of Aging Container:
80% new, 20% 1-4 year old
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Analytical Data
pH level:
3.59
Acidity:
6.1 g/L
Alcohol:
14.5 %
Residual sugar:
1.55 g/L
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Wine Production

All blocks destemmed only without crushing and then allowed to ferment naturally. The Cabernet Sauvignon (making up 78%) was static fermented, gently pumped over through a splash tub and then left on skins for up to 30 days. This was a particularly brilliant year for tannin ripeness and the time on the skins allowed for the wine to become structurally sound and stabilised. The Malbec and Petit Verdot (making up 22%) were open fermented, hand plunged and pressed dry. The small sections were basket pressed to fine French oak and matured for 19 months. The strength of the fruit in this vintage resulted in a greater contribution from new oak compared to previous vintages.

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About the Vineyard

Dry warm spring conditions at the end of 2015 helped establish a healthy fruit set and better yields than the previous two seasons.