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Vasse Felix Tom Cullity Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec is the estate’s flagship red wine, a true icon wine of the Margaret River wine-growing region. It is made in honour of Dr Thomas Brendan Cullity. Amongst some of Cullity’s first plantings were Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec, 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.
Vasse Felix Wines was founded in 1967 in Wilyabrup by Cullity. It was the very first winery to be established in the Margaret River wine-growing region of Western Australia. The winery is considered a true pioneer of the region. Dr Cullity had searched widely for his first vineyard site and eventually selected 8 acres in Wilyabrup which remain at the heart of the estate today.
The winery was purchased by the Gregg family in 1984. The Holmes à Court family then purchased the estate in 1987 and set about a period of expansion buying more vineyards but staying true to Cullity’s initial vision “to make the best possible wine.” The current owner and manager of the estate is Paul Holmes à Court, the second generation of the family to run Vasse Felix. Paul took over General Management of the Estate in 2005 and became the sole owner of Vasse Felix and its parent company, The Heytesbury Group in 2008.
Virginia Willcock has been the winemaker since 2006 and since then she has twice been nominated for Australian Gourmet Traveller ‘Winemaker of the Year’ and was awarded the trophy for ‘Winemaker of the Most Outstanding Red or White Wine in Show’ at the 2011 Royal Adelaide Wine Show. There is a wide range of wines produced from icon wines like the Tom Cullity Cabernet Sauvignon and the Heytesbury Chardonnay through to the Premier, Filius and Classics tiers.
The 2017 Tom Cullity is a blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Malbec and 1% Petit Verdot.
Appearance: A lovely, translucent ruby.
Nose: The tightly intermingled perfume carries Tom’s Block characters
of savoury tobacco, earthy forest and nori-like ocean breeze.
Delicate red berry notes move into savoury tones of cherry pip,
mushroom, white clay, brie rind and tamari. A floral fragrance of
violets frames this elegant vintage.
Palate: A restrained and ethereal rendition of Margaret River Cabernet.
The body is plush and shapely, with lovely red berry fruit
characters and super fine, talc-like tannins of unbelievable
length. Graceful and sophisticated with a savoury core, the
delicate
2017 Vintage
96 Points – Wine Enthusiast, December 2021
95 Points – Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux, September 2025
96 Points – Wine Advocate, September 2025
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