Vasse Felix Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 — dark label, Margaret River single variety — available at The Wine Box Kenya, Nairobi

Vasse Felix Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

In stock

Purchase this item and get 282 Points

KShs6,530 incl. of VAT

Order before 9PM for same day delivery within Nairobi. Next day delivery for orders outside Nairobi
Tasting Notes
Deep garnet with a narrow brick rim. The nose is powerful and layered. Initially, blackcurrant, cassis and dark plum dominate. However, with 60 minutes in the decanter, graphite, cedar and dried tobacco emerge alongside black olive and a faint eucalyptus note. Furthermore, crushed violet, bay leaf and a dusty earthiness develop over time. These are the signatures of old-vine Margaret River Cabernet. On the palate, the wine is full and architectural. The tannins are firm and fine-grained, providing the backbone for long ageing. Additionally, they are matched by bright, linear acidity that carries flavours of blackcurrant, blackberry and dark chocolate through the mid-palate. The 18 months in French oak leave a trace of vanilla pod and toasted spice on a finish of graphite, tobacco leaf and mineral chalk that persists for over a minute. This wine is still young.
Food Pairing
At 14% ABV and with the structure of a wine built for a decade of cellaring, this Cabernet demands food with significant weight and richness. Bone-in ribeye and slow-roasted rack of lamb are therefore the strongest matches. The wine’s firm but fine tannins cut through charred fat cleanly, while the blackcurrant character mirrors the intensity of aged and roasted red meat.
Additionally, beef wellington and braised short rib with a reduced wine sauce both hold alongside a glass. Aged hard cheeses, particularly those with a savoury, crystalline texture work well at the end of a meal once the wine has had time to open in the decanter. For a chill evening where the occasion calls for something with genuine pedigree — a milestone birthday, a corporate gift of substance, this is the bottle that commands attention. Decant for 60 to 90 minutes before serving.
What You Need to Know:
What does this Cabernet taste like compared to the Tom Cullity?
This is pure Cabernet Sauvignon, while the Tom Cullity is a blend with Malbec and Petit Verdot. Consequently, this wine is more direct and linear — blackcurrant, graphite and cedar without the plush mid-palate that Malbec provides. It is consequently more austere in youth but equally rewarding with cellaring.
Is this a good introduction to premium Australian Cabernet?
Yes. It captures Margaret River’s signature blackcurrant and graphite at a price below the Tom Cullity. However, it still demands patience — decant for 60 to 90 minutes or cellar for 3 to 5 years. It is not an immediate drinker.
Should I drink this now or cellar it?
It is approachable now with extended decanting. However, James Halliday and the producer both recommend patience. The most rewarding window is therefore 2028 to 2035. The screwcap ensures consistent ageing if you choose to cellar.
What food works best with this Cabernet?
Bone-in ribeye, slow-roasted rack of lamb and beef wellington are ideal. The tannin and fruit weight require food with significant richness and fat. Additionally, aged hard cheese works once the wine has fully opened in the decanter.
How does Margaret River Cabernet differ from Coonawarra or Napa?
Margaret River is maritime. You get cool mornings, warm afternoons, gravel soils. The result is Cabernet with blackcurrant and graphite, medium-plus tannin and bright acidity. Coonawarra tends to mint and eucalyptus; Napa is riper and fuller. Margaret River consequently sits between the two in weight and intensity.
Does the screwcap affect long-term ageing?
No. Multiple longitudinal studies confirm that premium wines under screwcap age as well or better than under cork over a 15 to 20 year horizon. Screwcap eliminates TCA taint and bottle-to-bottle variation. For a wine with a drinking window to 2038, it is the more reliable closure.
What should I do if this bottle is out of stock?
Our customer service team can help you find a suitable alternative or source the product where possible. Reach out before your event.
How fast can I get this Cabernet delivered in Nairobi?
Nairobi orders placed before 9 PM qualify for same-day delivery, typically completed within a 1-hour window. Free delivery applies to orders above KES 3,000 within Nairobi. Orders outside Nairobi are delivered nationwide across Kenya within 24 to 48 hours.
Vintage: Varieties:

Description

A single-variety Cabernet from Australia’s oldest vines, now available in Nairobi, Kenya. The 2022 vintage delivers Margaret River’s signature blackcurrant and graphite through fruit from the original 1967 plantings.

The growing season was warm and dry. As a result, Cabernet Sauvignon achieved full phenolic ripeness while the maritime breeze preserved acidity. Additionally, chief winemaker Virginia Willcock employed 18 months in French oak with 25% new barrels — a moderate approach that adds structure and spice without overwhelming the vineyard character. The wine was bottled under screwcap to eliminate cork taint and ensure consistency across every bottle. For collectors in Nairobi seeking a cellar-worthy Australian red with a fully documented track record, this is the most reliable single-variety Cabernet currently available at The Wine Box Kenya.

Product Facts
Vintage: 2022
Producer: Vasse Felix
Country: Australia
Region: Margaret River
Vineyard: Vasse Felix Home Vineyard — original plantings by Dr Thomas Cullity, 1967
Grape Variety: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Category: Red Wine
Style: Full bodied, structured, cellar-worthy
ABV: 14%
Production Method: Hand-harvested; destemmed; fermented in stainless steel and open vats; 18 months in French oak, 25% new barrels; natural malolactic fermentation
Closure: Screwcap
Serving Temperature: 17–19°C; decant 60–90 minutes before serving
Accolades
95 points, James Halliday Wine Companion
About The Winery
Dr Thomas Cullity planted the first commercial vines in Margaret River at Wilyabrup in 1967. His estate was subsequently acquired by the Holmes à Court family in 1987. Virginia Willcock joined as chief winemaker in 2006, following experience at Moss Wood, Leeuwin Estate and in Burgundy. The Home Vineyard, still on its original 1967 site 4 kilometres from the Indian Ocean, contains Australia’s oldest Cabernet Sauvignon vines. It supplies fruit for the Tom Cullity, this single-variety Cabernet and the Filius range. For buyers in Kenya, Vasse Felix represents one of the most awarded and documented producer pedigrees in Australian wine; a name that carries weight from Perth to Nairobi.
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We deliver anywhere* in Kenya and Orders outside of Nairobi will attract delivery charges, which will be calculated based on the cart size and your location. Orders outside of Nairobi are delivered through a logistics partner Fargo Courier.

*Please note that conditions apply to deliveries to Lamu and some coastal regions.

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