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Vasse Felix Winery

Margaret River, Wilyabrup, Australia

  • 62
    of the 245 000
    wine producers
    of the world

  • Time

    11:35 AM

  • Wine average?

    94 Tb

  • Country Ranking?

    20

  • Region Ranking?

    1

  • Popularity ranking?

    163

News

2018: AN EXCELLENT CHARDONNAY VINTAGE!

The Winery has been a bustling hub of activity as we steadily progress through vintage of the white varieties.

In late February, we picked the last of the Home Vineyard Chardonnay, with some fruit still to come from our Gnarawary and Karridale vineyards. Although yields have been down, the quality of Chardonnay has been exceptional this year, with the combination of slightly higher sugar and strong acidity promising to deliver wines of power.

Harvest of the white varieties continues as we shift our focus to our southern Margaret River vineyards. It appears that we will have quite a traditional transition from white to red varieties this year (no cross-over), with harvest of our red varieties likely to commence in a few weeks and continue well into April given the mild summer we have experienced.

Behind-the-scenes of vintage at Vasse Felix by Estate Sommelier, Evan

It has certainly been an experience for me, moving from one end of the Vasse Felix wine spectrum to the other. A typical day as Estate Sommelier involves analyzing, deconstructing and discussing Vasse Felix wines with Estate guests. In the winery however, the 12 hour day can involve anything from receiving and crushing fruit, transferring juice and taking ferment samples, to driving forklifts, washing barrels and becoming very closely acquainted with lees!

Although the pressure to get things right in the winery feels a lot higher, our ‘less is more’ approach works wonders, and a lot of the time, tiny tweaks and finessing is all that’s required to allow the natural beauty of the fruit characters to shine through.

Working closely with our core winery crew, in particular Chief Winemaker Virginia Willcock and Senior Winemaker Mick Langridge, has allowed me to better understand and appreciate the complex processes that contribute to the final quality and style of our wines.

Experiencing the feel of a Vintage one day a week (without the drawback of a 72hr work week!) has been fantastic - the atmosphere reminds me of the Gourmet Escape or Easter period as experienced in the Estate Building. The upbeat spirit of the entire crew (a mixture of Americans, Canadians, Germans and Australians), the coffee and the winery’s music selection make vintage life all the sweeter!

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History

1967 - Dr Thomas Cullity had been trial planting vines in the South-West since 1965. Upon learning of this report, he spent around a year searching for the perfect site of “red gravel in redgum country, with clay about 18 inches below the surface.” Finally locating the ideal site, he planted Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Malbec and Riesling to establish the Vasse Felix vineyard; Margaret River's first and oldest vines.

 

1972 - THE FIRST WINES 
The first Vasse Felix - and Margaret River - wines are made included Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon.

"In 1972, off a small crop, we produced a Riesling wine that created quite a stir at the Perth Show [it won a gold medal]... It was this wine and the subsequent publicity that brought Margaret River wines to the attention of the Australian public. We had similar success with the Cabernet Sauvignon in 1973." Dr Thomas Cullity.

 

Vasse
‘Naturaliste’ and ‘Geographe’ were the maiden ships in the Baudin Expedition, undertaken by the French to map the coast of Australia (New Holland) from 1800-1803. The expedition was the first to discover the south-west coast of Australia, arriving from Mauritius in the peak of winter to storms and 8 foot swells.

Disaster struck on 8 June 1801 when the Naturaliste’s Assistant Helmsman was swept up by the waves and thrown into the vast and treacherous ocean. This was the disappearance of Thomas Timothèe Vasse. While originally thought to have drowned, rumours of Vasse’s circumstances emerged in the following years. His became one of the most curious nautical stories in French and Australian history.

Was he lost to the wild ocean, or did he wash ashore and live with the local indigenous community? Did he grow old in Australia or was he picked up by an American crew, taken to England and imprisoned? It became a highly publicised story in the French Journals. The public was divided. What happened to the unlucky and unfortunate Vasse?

Felix
An avid historian, and hopeful that his vineyard would enjoy a happier fate, Dr Tom Cullity named it Vasse Felix, meaning ‘lucky/happy’ Vasse.

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Vineyards

Vasse Felix is located in the Wilyabrup ‘sub-region’ of Margaret River. Vasse Felix vineyards are also located to the north of the region in Carbunup, and to the south, in Karridale. The vineyard sites have been selected for their unique topography, micro-climates and natural irrigation. The best suited grape varieties have been matched to each vineyard, and specific rows and blocks have been planted to correspond with topography and soil type.

 

WILYABRUP


Soils: Deep gravel loam soil over clay.
Unique Site Influences: Wilyabrup fruit is typified by its superb balance.

 

KARRIDALE

 

Soils: Sandy loam with a deep top soil over high calcium clay.
Unique Site Influences: Experiences a slightly cooler climate due to sea breezes off the Southern Ocean and increased cloud cover. This provides an extended ripening period for whites, and the fruit is characterised by more elevated perfume and higher natural acidity.

 

CARBUNUP


Soils: Deep red to pale sandy loam with gravel and clay in isolated areas.
Unique Site Influences: Carbunup receives slightly warmer temperatures through the growing season. Fruit is characteristically riper and richer in flavour.

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Inside information

THE FOUNDER, DR. THOMAS BRENDAN CULLITY

Dr. Tom Cullity was a highly intelligent and slightly eccentric, though respected Cardiologist from Western Australia, who, on his travels in Britain working at the National Heart Hospital in the 1950s, discovered the great table wines of Europe. Upon returning home, Tom set himself a mission to make fine wines in Western Australia.

Tom searched obsessively for the perfect plot of land, taking guidance from the research of Professor Harold Olmo (1955) and Dr. John Gladstones (1965), looking for “red gravel in redgum country, with clay about 18 inches below the surface.” He eventually settled on a small piece of land (now the Vasse Felix Home Vineyard) by the Wilyabrup Brook, planting 8 hectares of vines, including what we now refer to as Houghton clone Cabernet Sauvignon, the core of Margaret River’s finest Cabernets.

In addition to catering to a demanding career and large family, Tom spent most of his spare time navigating the arduous drive from Perth to Margaret River on gravel roads to nurture his young vine plantings. It was at this site, a mere 4km from the Ocean, that Tom established rudimentary winemaking facilities from recycled medical contraptions in a small shed which also served as his sleeping quarters. Despite many doubting the success of his pursuit and colourful locals calling him crazy, Tom persevered, relying on his intellectual and unconventional approach, including a brief foray into falconry, to meet the many challenges that arose.

Tom’s tenacious and enduring persistence led to the successful creation of Margaret River’s first commercial wines. He is remembered for his pioneering role in establishing the Margaret River Wine Region. 

 

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9 different wines with 61 vintages

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