Vasse Felix Icon Range Tom Cullity Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec

99 points in James Suckling - "That this is an elegant wine is the first thing to note here. The nose has hints of gravel and leafy nuances — a textbook regional expression. It's really seductive, and there's a fusion of bright and vibrant redcurrants, boysenberries and red cherries together with cassis and blue plums as well as mulberries. Some fresh, violet-like florals and freshly cut herbs also come into play along with pomegranate and deliciously fresh and cedary oak that's well played in behind vineyard-focused characters. The richer malbec fruits are clear here, and at 20% of the blend, it has a role to play, both in terms of the upfront plushness and back palate depth. The old vines are also working some magic within the layers of structure and length here. The palate's immaculate and supple, the tannins are fluid, long and polished, and there's detail here as well as depth, before things culminate in an incredibly fresh finish. Tannins are superbly elegant and truly refined. This is a wine of finesse and fine detail. Beautifully grown, perfectly captured and astutely crafted. This is everything a great wine should be and a new step for Vasse Felix, Margaret River and for Australian cabernet. Drink 2020-2030+."

95 points in Wine Advocate - "The exciting debut of a new Vasse Felix flagship, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec Tom Cullity is named for the winery's founder. Unlike the supplanted Heytesbury red, it's made entirely from estate fruit, primarily from the winery's oldest vines. It's a rich, expansive wine yet retains a firm, structured core that should allow it to age gracefully. Mint and bay leaf notes add complexity to the cassis fruit, while flourishes of French oak add vanilla and cedar."