Vasse Felix Tom Cullity 2023 - The Eleventh Vintage Release
To celebrate Vasse Felix's 11th release of their flagship red, Tom Cullity, Vasse Felix senior winemaker, James Revie, will be hosting three exclusive events at Lamont’s Cottesloe.
Sunday, October 25th
Hosted by James Revie, Senior Winemaker
Lunch: 12–3pm | 13 wines and 4 courses | $180
Masterclass: 4–6pm |13 wines & canapés | $95
Dinner: 6.30–9.30pm | 13 wines and 4 courses |$180
The 2023 Tom Cullity has already achieved an incredible 99 Points and is described as “…the finest Tom yet”, from acclaimed wine writer & critic, Ray Jordan.
“It’s hard to imagine a more glorious expression of Margaret River red wine than this wonderful wine that draws inspiration from the man who planted those first vines in 1967 and gives it a modern expression based on the great 2023 vintage. It has seductive floral red-fruit notes on the nose, with a lift of violets and cedar. The palate is vibrant and alive with energy, but there is power and tremendous fruit concentration here. So beautifully elegant, with fine chalky tannins and fine, precise acidity helping to drive it through to a very long finish. Incredible freshness and vibrancy. It has some nice cedar, sage and savoury characters. A little black-olive tapenade adds further complexity. Everything just sits together. The perfume is seductive and the ripe freshness so wonderfully expressive. The finest Tom yet.”
99 Points, Ray Jordan, rayjordanwine.com
The 2023 TOM CULLITY is a wine of quiet sophistication and absolute purity, it is elegant, restrained, and profoundly expressive of its site. In a season that asked little and gave much, Tom's original vines simply told their story.
TOM CULLITY descends from the original Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec vines planted by Vasse Felix founder, Dr Thomas Brendan Cullity in 1967, Margaret River's original and one of the region's most enduring viticultural legacies. A unique, single-vineyard proposition that is, and has always been, the pinnacle of Vasse Felix.
2023 was, by any measure, an ideal vintage in Margaret River, one that critic Angus Hughson (Vinous) has described as "a once-in-a-decade vintage" for Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon. A harmonious, temperate season unfolded without interruption, and steady, clean conditions allowed the vines to ripen slowly, completely, and on their own terms. In a season so unforced and unhurried, Tom's plots simply did what they have always done and in 2023, they did so with extraordinary eloquence.
"A harmonious season with a lack of extremes leading to a wine that glides with elegance. Not bold, not obvious but ever present and endearing." Chief Winemaker, Virginia Willcock.
Tom's plots were hand-harvested between 30 March and 12 April. The ideal mild conditions meant a long, slow ripening period, which allowed the fruit to hang and the tannins to ripen to perfection. The fruit was destemmed, wild fermented as whole berries and left on skins for an average of 28 days. The wine was basket pressed and gently transferred to 58% new and 42% 2-6-year-old French oak barriques, aged on lees in barrel for 17 months with minimal intervention, then composed and bottled. This vintage is a blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon and 21% Malbec.
Each vintage of TOM CULLITY remains a living link to the origins of Margaret River wine, a pure expression of this significant site, and the history it carries. It is this provenance that makes TOM CULLITY a wine of place, patience and absolute rarity. The undisputed pinnacle of Vasse Felix.
(Vasse Felix Official)
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Margaret River's Founding Wine Estate
Vasse Felix was established by Margaret River pioneer Dr Thomas Brendan Cullity in 1967 and is the region’s founding wine estate.
Dr Cullity’s original aim for Vasse Felix was simple – to make the best possible wine, and prove the untapped potential of a place that was hypothesised to be superb for fine wine growing. Through ingenuity and tenacity, he made Margaret River’s first serious wines in 1972; a Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec and a Riesling, marking a milestone in Australian wine history.
Since 1987, the Holmes à Court Family have guided Vasse Felix with a steadfast vision: for it, and the Margaret River wine region, to be thriving and world-regarded, 100 years into the future, and beyond.
An exacting focus on quality and excellence for Margaret River’s pre-eminent wine styles, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay sits at the heart of this.Chief Winemaker, Virginia Willcock
One of Australia's most awarded winemakers, Virginia has led the wine program at Vasse Felix since October 2006. Virginia has an insatiable curiosity for the role microbiology plays in grapes and vineyards in making more environmentally expressive wines.
As a teenager, Virginia saw the happiness and joy wine brought to her parents and their friends after a hard day’s work in their small vineyard. It was here she decided winemaking was going to be her career. “I loved the idea of growing fruit, and then turning it into something that could be more beautiful and would make people happy.”
‘Winemaker of the Year’ Halliday Wine Companion 2026
‘Winemaker of the Year’ ASVO (Australian Society of Viticulture and Oenology) Award for Excellence, 2024
‘Winemaker of the Year’ Australian Women in Wine Awards, 2017
‘Winemaker of the Year Nominee’ Wine Enthusiast Wine Star Awards, 2014
'Winemaker of the Year’ The West Australian Good Wine Guide, 2013
'Australian Winemaker of the Year’ Gourmet Traveller WINE, 2012Chief Viticulturist, Bart Molony
Bart Molony joined Vasse Felix in 2004, making 2024 his 20th vintage. He has a passion for sustainable viticulture, where every practice is guided by a strong focus on vineyard biodiversity and responsible, natural farming practices. He promotes a constant focus on soil biology across all vineyards. This is enhanced by Margaret River’s natural suitability to sustainable viticulture, due to its climatic and environmental attributes.
“Margaret River is the perfect environment in which to grow grapes. The region’s excellent soils and climate contribute to the production of consistent yields of high quality fruit, without which, the creation of great wines would be impossible.”
‘Viticulturist of the Year’ Halliday Wine Companion, 2025
‘Viti Excellence Award' Margaret River Wine Association, 2011 -
Halliday Wine Companion Winemaker of the Year 2026 - Virginia Willock, Chief Winemaker.
Vasse Felix is a Mattinson 10-Star Winery.
Only the best of Australia’s best wineries are ranked as a Mattinson 10-Star Winery.Vasse Felix has been named ‘New World Winery of the Year’ by leading USA publication Wine Enthusiast in its 18th annual Wine Star Awards.
A Halliday Five-Star Red Winery Rating
2026 Halliday Wine Companion Awards
Vasse Felix’s 2023 Heytesbury Chardonnay didn’t just win Chardonnay of the Year – it also took out White Wine of the Year, scoring an exceptional 99 points.Halliday Wine Companion Winemaker of the Year 2026 - Virginia Willcock
Bart Molony of Vasse Felix has been named the 2025 Halliday Viticulturist of the Year.
Ray Jordan’s WA Wine Review ‘Wine of the Year’ and 99 Points - Tom Cullity cabernet sauvignon malbec 2020
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“More than 50 years on from when Dr Tom Cullity planted his first vines at Vasse Felix in Western Australia's Margaret River region, the Cabernet-Malbec blend named in his honour and the equivalent top-tier Heytesbury Chardonnay stand among Australia's best.” Sarah Ahmed, Decanter 2022
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 purest expression of our history, place and vintage; the pinnacle of Vasse Felix.
Dr Tom Cullity’s original aim for Vasse Felix was simple – to make the best possible wine and reveal the untapped potential of Margaret River for fine wine. Through ingenuity and tenacity, he crafted the region’s first serious wines in 1972: a Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec and a Riesling, a milestone in Australian wine history.
Today, Vasse Felix is home to three specialty vineyards across exceptional sites, including Margaret River’s oldest – Tom’s Plots at our Home Vineyard in Wilyabrup. These treasured vines still flourish, producing the revered fruit for our TOM CULLITY Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec, with its 10th vintage soon to be released.
On what would have been Dr Tom Cullity’s 100th birthday, we raise a glass in his honour. We invite you to join us in toasting with a glass of Vasse Felix Cabernet, wherever you may be. -
Margaret River is clearly Australia’s greatest Cabernet Sauvignon region – as is confirmed by the 200+ Eastern States Wine Makers & Wine Reviewers who are our senior & capital city wine show system judges.
1. Margaret River’s 1.6% of Australia’s Cabernet Sauvignon crush has won 45 of the 56 Capital City Best Cabernet Sauvignon trophies awarded since the first show in 2014.
79%!!!
2. Margaret River (yep, the same 1.6%) won 16 consecutive Capital City Best Cabernet Trophies from the 4th show 19 2018 till the 4th show in 2021 – finally missing out at 2021’s final & Hobart last year!!!3. Western Australia has won 17 of the 20 Best Cabernet Sauvignon Trophies since 2000 at Canberra, our National Wine Show - the last 12 consecutively.
This is dominance.
Within this Margaret River perspective there are three to four truly great Cabernet Sauvignon labels in Margaret River - & the Tom Cullity range is one of these three.
An extraordinary achievement.
The (many!) Tom Cullity Cabernet Malbec vertical tastings illustrate that the cooler 2013, 2015, 2017 & 2019 vintages have provided serious and charming – but more fragrant and elegant - releases than the denser, more powerfully structured – and thus longer living? – 2014, 2016 and 2018 vintages.
The 7 Tom Cullity releases to date are truly great Australian Cabernet Sauvignons.
And now the 2020…
JJ
The Wine List
On Arrival
2023 Vasse Felix Idée Fixe Premier Brut Blanc de Blancs
First Bracket
2023 Vasse Felix Premier Sauvignon Blanc [New Release]
Second Bracket
2025 Vasse Felix Premier Chardonnay [New Release]
These Chardonnays from Vasse Felix over the last few years are really starting to hit their straps... it retains that essential linear, crunchy acidity that is a feature of the style... Poised and balanced, and beautifully integrated.
95 Points - Ray Jordan, WA Wine Review 2027
2025 Vasse Felix DHJ1 Single Plot Chardonnay [New Release & Sold Out Online]
This has been sourced from a single plot of Gingin chardonnay, and unlike both the Premier and the Heytesbury, gets no new oak. You get a sense of place almost from the first sniff. It's a bit wild, but complex and intricate. A pure expression of the Gingin clone from a small Wallcliffe vineyard, benefiting from cool climate influence. Powerful and layered, with savoury, mineral, and lemon meringue characters. The palate adds a chalky dryness and savoury element to the long finish.
97 Points - Ray Jordan, 2026 WA Wine Review
2024 Vasse Felix Heytesbury Chardonnay
A fine and detailed nose, with plenty more to offer given time to open. Lemon pith, white blossom, salt dust, frankincense and everlasting florals. The palate is a firm phenolic handshake, with vibrant acidity and wave upon wave of flavour. A core of fruit sweetness is wrapped in lemon pith, spice and salt dust, the final effect one of succulence, savoury drive and a wink of charry delight. This is consistently one of the best wines produced from the region. 100% Gingin clone, whole-bunch pressed, wild fermented and matured for 10 months in 225-litre French oak barriques (53% new); 80% natural malolactic fermentation, followed by six months on full lees.
97 Points - Cassandra Charlick, Decanter (at Hobart, Tasmania, 14 Jul 2026)
Third Bracket
2024 Vasse Felix Filius Cabernet Sauvignon
Consistently among the best-value cabernets released each year in Western Australia. This is largely cabernet with some malbec, which of course is the classic combination of the Tom Cullity blend. It's a wine that's evolved in recent years and now presents with less overt oak and more subtle integration. Blackcurrant and bright red fruits on the nose. And a thoroughly seamless, effortless palate drives through to a long, focused finish. It's a wine that almost seems as if it floated through the winery after picking and just emerged and said, "Look at me." Terrific wine.
94 Points - Ray Jordan, rayjordanwine.com
2023 Vasse Felix Premier Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet has been the focus for the last 51 years, and the results show. From a great vintage, this wine has elegance, poise, and medium weight — just as Tom Cullity sought from the start in 1967. Loaded with black fruits, seamlessly integrated oak and tannin, and impeccable balance. A cracking wine that marks the next phase of Vasse Felix cabernet.
97 Points - Ray Jordan, rayjordanwine.com
2019 Vasse Felix Premier Cabernet Sauvignon Museum
Fourth Bracket
2023 Vasse Felix Tom Cullity Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec [New Release]
It’s hard to imagine a more glorious expression of Margaret River red wine than this wonderful wine that draws inspiration from the man who planted those first vines in 1967 and gives it a modern expression based on the great 2023 vintage. It has seductive floral red-fruit notes on the nose, with a lift of violets and cedar. The palate is vibrant and alive with energy, but there is power and tremendous fruit concentration here. So beautifully elegant, with fine chalky tannins and fine, precise acidity helping to drive it through to a very long finish. Incredible freshness and vibrancy. It has some nice cedar, sage and savoury characters. A little black-olive tapenade adds further complexity. Everything just sits together. The perfume is seductive and the ripe freshness so wonderfully expressive. The finest Tom yet.”
99 Points, Ray Jordan, rayjordanwine.com
2016 Vasse Felix Tom Cullity Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec
Dark, brooding aromas of bitter chocolate, cedar and kelp. Striated with blackcurrant, sour red cherry and plum fruit, immersive, pithy tannins impart terrific structure and tension to the palate. Denser fruitcake flavours contrast with delicate dried rose and peppermint. Graphite and gravel minerals plus deep-seated grape and oak-derived spice (cardamom, liquorice, cassia bark and cedar) makes for compellingly back-palate resonance.
96 Points - Sarah Ahmed, Decanter (at London, 17 Jul 2021)
2010 Vasse Felix Heytesbury Cabernet Petit Verdot Merlot Blend
This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Malbec offers scents of vanilla, cassis and dried herbs. On the palate, the fruit seems redder in profile, hinting at red plum, but delivered with freshness, verve and mouthwatering acids. The tannins are a bit chewy, so try it between 2016 and 2025.
91 Points - Joe Czerwinski, Wine Enthusiast
1997 Vasse Felix Heytesbury Cab Franc Cab Sauv Blend
Medium to full purple-red; while the oak is quite powerful, it is well integrated and balanced with earthy cassis cabernet fruit. The message is continued on the palate, where the clever use of high-quality oak throughout does not submerge the cassis and berry flavours; finishing with fine tannins.
93 Points - James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion