The standout wines of Margaret River pioneer Vasse Felix, with winemaker Virginia Willcock – Wednesday 18th September

Vasse Felix represents a piece of Australian wine history. The first commercial winery to plant vines in Margaret River, back in 1967, it is a true pioneer. Still estate grown, made and bottled, its wines today stand as benchmark examples of the region’s strengths – Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.

With his counterparts at Cullen and Moss Wood, founder Tom Cullity was one of three doctors to establish Margaret River as a bona fide wine region. A cardiologist who fell in love with wine when working at Britain’s National Heart Hospital in the 1950s, on returning to Western Australia, Cullity set himself a mission to make fine wines in his home state. Toiling away from rudimentary winemaking facilities in a small shed which also served as his sleeping quarters, he triumphed over the local naysayers.

Today, Cullity’s original plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec are the source of some of Margaret River’s most acclaimed wines. Vasse Felix has a serious focus on holistic viticulture, soil health and vine longevity, complemented by minimal intervention winemaking and small-batch fermentation with natural yeasts, all intended to showcase the provenance of each wine. At the heart of this approach is its ebullient chief winemaker, Virginia Willcock.

We are thrilled to welcome the ever-engaging Virginia to the Club to guide us through a tasting of some of the region’s finest Cabernet Sauvignons and Chardonnay, including the renowned Tom Cullity cuvée, a blend of Cabernet and Malbec from the original vines. We will also taste the 50^th vintage of the house Cabernet and the celebrated Heytesbury Chardonnay

The wines we will be tasting:
2020 Tom Cullity, Vasse Felix, Margaret River
2014 Tom Cullity, Vasse Felix, Margaret River
2021 Cabernet Sauvignon, Vasse Felix, Margaret River (50th vintage)
2020 Cabernet Sauvignon, Vasse Felix, Margaret River
2012 Cabernet Sauvignon, Vasse Felix, Margaret River
2022 Syrah, Vasse Felix, Margaret River
2022 Sauvignon Blanc, Vasse Felix, Margaret River
2022 Chardonnay, Vasse Felix, Margaret River
2021 Chardonnay, Vasse Felix, Margaret River
2020 Chardonnay, Vasse Felix, Margaret River
2022 Chardonnay, Heytesbury, Vasse Felix, Margaret River
2016 Chardonnay, Heytesbury, Vasse Felix, Margaret River

Please note that we now offer a tasting board of charcuterie, cheese, olives and nuts to accompany your tasting. Simply select your preferred option from the dropdown menu when you book your tickets.

Wednesday 18th September
St. James’s Room
18:30 – Welcome reception
19:00 – Masterclass begins
20:30 – Masterclass ends