Described as the son of the ever-impressive Vasse Felix Cabernet, the Filius shines in its own right. The nose packs in ripe red berries and mint notes, before dark cherry flavours and a dark chocolatety texture impress on the palate. Medium bodied, there's good tannin structure before this finishes dry with a lingering aftertaste.
87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Malbec
Awards and Accolades
94 Points - Ray Jordan, West Australian Wine Guide "What a stunning cabernet for the price. This is now the third tier behind the Marg cabernet and the Heytesbury, but in some ways that does it a disservice because it is a good wine."
97 Points - David Prestipino, WA Today "A recent blind tasting by four local wine experts pitted a selection of premium WA cabernets against the best from around Australia. Not surprisingly, the local Margaret River drops scored highest, beating their more expensive interstate rivals. The real shock came when the highest-pointed wine was revealed - the lowest-priced in the line-up, the 2014 Vasse Felix Filius. An unbelievable first vintage for this wine and no doubt the best-valued cabernet in Australia. Must-buy."
2014 Vintage: 92 Points - Campbell Mattinson, Wine Front "Tobacco leaf, clove and gum leaf notes add sparkle, or at least complexity, to a pure, medium-bodied ooze of curranty fruit. Said fruit is the main driver. This is a perfectly balanced red, pitch perfect from start to finish. Accordingly it’s good now, and should develop well over a good deal of time."
From the Winery
'Filius' translates to son of in latin, reflecting the relationship between this wine and the Vasse Felix Cabernet Sauvignon; the estate's most historic red wine. Filius is a more approachable, opulent interpretation of Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon, a style renowned for its elegance and power. All fruit parcels were vinified and matured individually before grading post maturation to create a regional expression of the vintage.
The structural elements of fine Margaret River Cabernet are embraced with a hint of the Malbec's dark fruit to make a classic Vasse Felix style Cabernet Sauvignon. All vineyard sections are fermented separately, accentuating the natural beauty of each parcel of fruit. After 12 months matured in barrique, the Cabernet was blended with the ideal percentage of Malbec to create a savoury fine wine with medium weight, where big is not considered the best.
Mild conditions in Margaret River with no extreme weather conditions, allowing for balanced fruit and a slow and steady intake. There was no disease pressure and fruit quality is excellent the only disappointment was yields being down across the Region for all key varieties. This was the outcome of storms in Spring and pressure from an increase in the local population of Silver Eyes (birds) and no Marri Blossom.
Don't Pay: $29.00
WBW Rating: 95/100
Closure: Stelvin
Region: Margaret River, WA
Winemaker: David Dowden
Drink now until: 2025
Alc/Vol: 14 %