NOW EXPERIENCING:Vasse Felix
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Vasse Felix

Monday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
4357 Caves Road, Wilyabrup, WA, 6284
Phone
(08) 9756 5000
Website
vassefelix.com.au
Instagram
@vassefelixwines

Read time 3 Mins

Posted 05 Apr 2024

By
Max Veenhuyzen

Old meets now at this trailblazing Margaret River estate delivering top-shelf wining and dining – a showpiece cellar door with a restaurant helmed by one of the state’s brightest kitchen talents.

Trailblazing winery at Vasse Felix
Why you goIt’d be easy for this trailblazing winery to trade on history and reputation, but that’s never been the Vasse Felix way. Instead, this pioneer situated on Margaret River’s Golden Mile relentlessly pushes and fine-tunes and sharpens its game, just as it did when founder Tom Cullity laid the foundations for Vasse Felix – and, in many ways, Margaret River’s commercial wine industry – in 1967. The estate’s cellar door comprises a sleek tasting room and gallery double-act on the ground floor, plus a polished restaurant upstairs that’s regularly name-checked in regional and national best-of discussions.
Why you stayIn Latin, the word “felix” translates to happy or lucky. Visitors who come here usually feel plenty of both. The good times begin before you even set foot inside Vasse Felix HQ, with the walk from the car park taking in modern sculptures, historic vineyards and beaming guests on the way out. Why are they so happy? Could it be that they’ve just spent an hour tasting their way through some of the region’s best-known wines? Perhaps they’ve been touched by switched-on service from cheery staff. Or maybe that’s just the contented daze that often follows a brilliant lunch in wine country.
Drive Way at Vasse Felix
What drink to orderOne of Vasse Felix’s strengths is its consistency across the board, from the crunchy fruitiness of its entry-level whites to the power of flagships such as the Heytesbury Chardonnay and the Tom Cullity, a long-lived cabernet blend honouring the estate’s founder. For groups that want to keep things casual, head for the wine lounge where by-the-glass wines and relaxed snacking await. Wine flights are a great way to explore the winery’s various tiers and taste back-vintage wines. For something a little more structured, squeeze up to the tasting-room counter and get started on a tutored tasting: your buy-in is $10 per person or $20 if you’d like to try some of those icons.
Food and wine at Vasse Felix
What to pair it withWhile the cheese and charcuterie offered in the wine lounge fit the breezy afternoon brief, the restaurant is where you want to be (you’ll also want to have made a reservation to guarantee a table). Chef Brendan Pratt is one of the state’s brightest kitchen talents and his detailed dishes are designed to show off the intricacies of Vasse Felix’s wines. Sometimes these food-and-wine pairings reinforce conventions – sauvignon blanc with lightly cured scallops and other seafood dishes, for instance. Other times they fly in the face of conventional thinking – don’t be surprised if staff steer you towards cabernet sauvignon or another red wine as a match for snapper amplified with a bold, Asian-inspired XO sauce. For those averse to making decisions, go for the tasting menu with paired wines to really enjoy the day.
Don’t leave withoutNamed after Janet Holmes à Court – a passionate supporter of the arts as well as the matriarch of the Holmes à Court family who owns Vasse Felix – the (free) ground-floor gallery shares the same contemporary spirit as the restaurant and cellar door and is equally deserving of your attention. Exhibitions run for around four months and take in everything from sculptures, paintings and photography from lesser-known West Australian artists to highlights from Holmes à Court’s impressive collection of Indigenous art.
Make it fancyWant to push the boat out? Book ahead for one of the tours. While Vasse Felix offers a variety of weekday and weekend packages, top of the table is its Cape to Vine tour that includes a morning trek along the south-west’s unspoiled coastline. It’s an excellent way to work up an appetite for the five-course tasting menu in the restaurant (including matched big-name wines) that’s included with all the high-end packages. Quiz cellar door staff about what museum wines are available for tasting and take away, too.
Wine Museum at Vasse Felix
Who to takeWine drinkers, clearly, are going to enjoy themselves just fine at Vasse Felix. Restaurant enthusiasts, too. And if you’re travelling with food buffs who take their wine seriously, then happy days (like most cellar doors, Vasse Felix isn’t open at night). While Margaret River has no shortage of destinations where one can drink and eat well, there’s something special – and special-occasion – about calling into one of the region’s OGs and paying your respects. The legend lives on.
Authour image
Max VeenhuyzenMax Veenhuyzen is a Perth food, drink and travel journalist who contributes to key Australian publications.
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Drinks DirectoryGood for groupsMeal and a bevFancy occasionTop notch wine listOutdoor areaRestaurantRegional WACellar DoorWinery
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