Log in / Sign up Vasse Felix 'Filius' Cabernet - Merlot 2017
2017 was a cooler and later vintage than the previous 10 years; a year of elegant, perhaps slightly lighter-bodied wines, though ripe in flavour, vibrant and very perfumed. Higher than average yields in combination with a cooler season contributed to delayed ripening of the fruit and good acid retention. Some timely warmth and sunshine occurred throughout January, although February temperatures remained moderate with some rainfall. With the cooler weather, canopy management and fruit thinning were imperative to mitigate disease pressures and allow for even, persistent ripening. There was a warm start to March to finish the white harvest, followed by the driest April since 1982, finishing the reds beautifully.
Pork
Fragrant Australian dry forest aromas are complemented by notes of gravelly earth, redcurrant, satsuma plum, liquorice, black olive skin, mocha and a subtle hint of toasted cedar.
Elegant and medium-bodied, the wine displays a concentration of blackberry fruit at its core, enveloped by a twiggy, savoury tannin succulence. A touch of graphite hints at the pure Cabernet line, while softer red fruit accents - courtesy of the Malbec and Merlot - lighten and brighten the palate.
