Margaret River : cabernet élancé et chardonnay salin
10 bouteilles, du blanc de blancs au cabernet de gardeA cabernet sauvignon that keeps its line, a chardonnay that keeps its salt: that is what you come looking for at the south-western tip of Australia. The Indian Ocean to the west, the Southern Ocean to the south, a narrow strip of land between two capes, and the nearest city three hours away by road. The climate there closely resembles that of Bordeaux, with more regular seasons.
The section follows three houses: Vasse Felix, which planted the first vines in the district, Cullen, which runs its plots under certified biodynamics, and Idée Fixe, which takes chardonnay by way of bubbles.
Cullen - Moon Opposite Saturn Harvest - Sauvignon Blanc 2018
A complex and tense Sauvignon Blanc, made from biodynamic farming
Idée Fixe - Premier Brut Blanc de Blancs 2021
A precise and vibrant Australian blanc de blancs, which combines oceanic freshness and elegant effervescence.
Vasse Felix - Filius Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
A precise and structured Margaret River cabernet, combining maritime freshness and fruit intensity.
Felix Vase - Tom Cullity 2018
A great red wine from Margaret River, combining depth, finesse and maritime tension.
Cullen - Kevin John Chardonnay 2023
A precise and saline biodynamic Chardonnay from Margaret River, where the purity of the fruit meets an elegant woody complexity.
Vase Felix - Filius Chardonnay 2021
A precise and energetic Australian Chardonnay, where freshness meets a subtle touch of oak.
Vasse Felix - Premier Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
A Cabernet Sauvignon from Margaret River combining aromatic precision, firm structure and maritime freshness.
Vasse Felix - Premier Chardonnay 2022
A precise and elegant Australian maritime Chardonnay, where freshness, finesse and complexity are harmoniously balanced.
Cullen - Diana Madeline 2021
A Margaret River cabernet of great precision, combining freshness, finesse and aromatic depth.
Cullen - Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2018
A biodynamic cabernet-merlot from Margaret River, precise, elegant and carried by maritime freshness.
Du blanc de blancs au cabernet de garde
Two colours share the region, and each one ranges from the midweek wine to the bottle for the cellar. Here are the styles present in the selection, with the exact grape varieties of each cuvée and the price per bottle.
| Le style | L'encépagement | Le profil du verre | La bouteille, prix à la bouteille |
|---|---|---|---|
| Le blanc de blancs effervescent | Chardonnay seul | Prise de mousse en bouteille, citron et pomme, bulle fine et finale saline | Idée Fixe Premier Brut Blanc de Blancs 202148 € la bouteille, à l'unité |
| Le chardonnay du quotidien | Chardonnay seul | Agrumes francs, touche boisée légère, bouche énergique et droite | Vasse Felix Filius Chardonnay 202122,10 € la bouteille, par caisse de 6 |
| Le chardonnay de domaine | Chardonnay seul, parcelles de Wilyabrup et Wallcliffe | Pressurage en grappes entières, levures indigènes, matière fine et longue | Vasse Felix Premier Chardonnay 202234,90 € la bouteille, par caisse de 6 |
| Le chardonnay de vignoble unique | Chardonnay seul, parcelles biodynamiques de Wilyabrup | Fermentation en barrique, densité, salinité marquée, grande allonge | Cullen Kevin John Chardonnay 2023150 € la bouteille, à l'unité |
| Le cabernet d'entrée, assemblage large | 87 % cabernet sauvignon, malbec, petit verdot, merlot, cabernet franc | Cassis et graphite, fruit net, tanin ferme déjà accessible | Vasse Felix Filius Cabernet Sauvignon 202022,10 € la bouteille, par caisse de 6 |
| Le cabernet en solo | Cabernet sauvignon seul | Élevage en fût français, charpente droite, fruit mûr et finale fraîche | Vasse Felix Premier Cabernet Sauvignon 202042,80 € la bouteille, par lot de 3 |
| Le duo cabernet et merlot | 78 % cabernet sauvignon, 22 % merlot | Le merlot met la chair sur la charpente du cabernet, bouche ronde et fraîche | Cullen Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 201837,90 € la bouteille, par lot de 3 |
| Le grand assemblage bordelais | 92 % cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, malbec | Whole bunches depending on the plot, gentle punching down, a silky and deep tannin | Cullen Diana Madeline 2021133 € la bouteille, à l'unité |
| Le cabernet de parcelle fondatrice | 78 % cabernet sauvignon, 22 % malbec | Macération longue, barriques neuves, densité et tension maritime | Vasse Felix Tom Cullity 2018144 € la bouteille, à l'unité |
Sauvignon blanc and semillon, vinified together in varying proportions, form the region's second white signature: a herbaceous, lemony dry wine, cut out for seafood, to be followed on the sauvignon blanc and semillon pages. To read the section by grape variety, cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay can be followed from one country to the next.
What this coast shares with Bordeaux
The comparison comes up as soon as you open a Cabernet from here, and it holds on several points: the temperate latitude, the sea close by, the grape varieties planted. It parts company on two others, the reliability of the weather and the age of the vineyard.
| Le repère | Margaret River | Bordeaux |
|---|---|---|
| La position | Langue de terre entre deux caps, océan sur trois côtés | Arrière-pays d'un estuaire, forêt landaise en écran à l'ouest |
| Le climat | Maritime tempéré, hivers doux et pluvieux, étés secs et ventés | Océanique tempéré, pluies réparties sur toute l'année |
| La régularité | Seasons that repeat themselves, the sea breeze the main hazard | Millésimes contrastés, gel de printemps, grêle, pluie de vendange |
| The soils | Gravier et sable argileux sur socle granitique, drainage naturel | Graves profondes en rive gauche, argile et calcaire en rive droite |
| The reds | Cabernet sauvignon en tête, merlot, malbec, petit verdot, cabernet franc | Merlot in the majority overall, cabernet sauvignon king of the gravels |
| The whites | Chardonnay d'un côté, sauvignon blanc et sémillon assemblés de l'autre | Sauvignon blanc et sémillon assemblés, muscadelle en appoint |
| L'âge du vignoble | First plantings in the 1960s, after a climate study | Vignoble marchand documenté depuis le Moyen Âge |
| Cabernet in the glass | Ripe, open fruit, mint leaf, a firm but slender tannin | Cassis, cèdre et graphite, austérité de jeunesse qui demande du temps |
Serving guidance: the blanc de blancs and the Chardonnays at around 10 °C, the Cabernets between 16 and 17 °C, with an hour in a decanter for the youngest vintages. As for ageing potential, allow one to five years for the Filius Chardonnay and the Premier Brut, five to ten years for the Premier Chardonnay, the Kevin John, the Filius Cabernet and the Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot from Cullen, ten years and more for Tom Cullity, Diana Madeline and the Premier Cabernet Sauvignon.
Une envie, une bouteille
Ways into the south-western tip, from the midweek white to a Cabernet for the cellar.
Ouvrir la région par un blanc
Gentle pressing, fermentation in French barrels and native yeasts: citrus, a fine touch of oak and an energetic palate. The white for grilled fish.
Vasse Felix Filius Chardonnay 2021 · 22,10 € la bouteille, par caisse de 6Goûter le cabernet du lieu
Grapes from Wilyabrup, Wallcliffe and Carbunup, vinified lot by lot. Blackcurrant, graphite and maritime freshness, with an already supple tannin. Perfect with a leg of lamb.
Vasse Felix Filius Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 · 22,10 € la bouteille, par caisse de 6Monter d'un cran sur le chardonnay
Whole bunches pressed, straight to barrel, partial malolactic. Margaret River Chardonnay in its finest and most saline version.
Vasse Felix Premier Chardonnay 2022 · 34,90 € la bouteille, par caisse de 6Découvrir la biodynamie de Cullen
Vendange manuelle, cuves ouvertes, levures indigènes et remontages à la main. Le merlot arrondit la charpente du cabernet, la mer garde le vin frais.
Cullen Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2018 · 37,90 € la bouteille, par lot de 3A pure Cabernet for the cellar
Coteaux de gravier et d'argile, fermentation en inox puis long élevage en fût. Charpente droite, fruit mûr, une décennie de garde devant lui.
Vasse Felix Premier Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 · 42,80 € la bouteille, par lot de 3Open a meal with bubbles
Chardonnay pressé en grappes entières, prise de mousse en bouteille : citron, pomme et une effervescence fine. L'apéritif de la côte ouest.
Idée Fixe Premier Brut Blanc de Blancs 2021 · 48 € la bouteille, à l'unitéPoser une grande bouteille sur la table
La cuvée de garde du domaine, en biodynamie certifiée : cabernet sauvignon dominant, élevage long en barrique, tanin soyeux et profondeur remarquable.
Cullen Diana Madeline 2021 · 133 € la bouteille, à l'unitéParcourir tout le continent
Shiraz de la Barossa, sémillon de la Hunter, pinot noir de la Yarra : le reste du vignoble australien, région par région.
Page du rayon · Vins d'Australie
Un rapport d'agronome, et une région sort de terre
In 1965, the agronomist John Gladstones published a study on the wine-growing climates of Western Australia. His conclusion fits in one sentence: the coastal strip between Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin offers the conditions closest to those of Bordeaux anywhere on the continent. Two years later, the cardiologist Tom Cullity planted the first vines there and founded Vasse Felix, the oldest estate in the region.
Kevin and Diana Cullen followed immediately, on the gravels of Wilyabrup. The estate is run under certified biodynamics, harvested by hand and fermented with its native yeasts. An entire wine region has grown out of those few hectares in some sixty years.
Comment on choisit
We taste every cuvée before listing it, and here we look at two things. Structure first: a Cabernet from this coast must keep its straight line despite the ripeness of the fruit. Then legibility: the oak accompanies, the fruit and the salinity stay in the foreground. A bottle that rests on its oak alone stays in the cloakroom.
L'équipe du Baroudeur du Vin
Ce qu'on nous demande sur Margaret River
Pourquoi ces bouteilles partent-elles souvent par lot ou par caisse ?
The estates of Margaret River ship their cuvées by full cases from the other side of the world, and keeping that packaging holds the price per bottle tight. The price shown is always the one for a single bottle, with the sales format right beside it. Several cuvées remain available singly, from Cullen, from Vasse Felix and from Idée Fixe.
Are Shiraz and Syrah the same grape variety?
Yes, one grape under two names: Australia kept the spelling shiraz received in the 19th century, France writes syrah. The word mainly announces a style, sun-filled on one side, peppery on the other. Margaret River, for its part, plays cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay. Both spellings are found on the syrah page.
Le cabernet d'ici ressemble-t-il vraiment à un bordeaux ?
The kinship comes down to the climate and the grape varieties: the same maritime influence, the same Bordeaux varieties blended together. The glass differs all the same. The fruit arrives riper and more open, the tannin stays firm but slender, and the bottle opens up earlier. The comparison table above sets out each marker. See also the cabernet sauvignon page.
Par quelle bouteille commencer ?
Take the Filius range from Vasse Felix to set the style of the region at a contained price: the Filius Chardonnay and the Filius Cabernet Sauvignon, both at €22.10 a bottle in cases of 6. Open them side by side and you hold the two faces of the region in a single meal.
Que change la biodynamie chez Cullen ?
The estate is certified biodynamic, works its soils, preserves the native forest around the plots and harvests by hand. In the winery, fermentation starts on native yeasts and the extractions stay gentle. The result reads in the fineness of the tannin and the clarity of the fruit. The biodynamic wine page brings this family of wines together.
Is the Chardonnay from this region very oaky?
The oak is there, but it keeps in the background. The wines are pressed as whole bunches then fermented in barrel with their native yeasts, with a measured share of new barrels and a malolactic that is often partial. The result keeps the citrus, the tension and a saline finish. The chardonnay page allows the comparison.
Combien de temps se gardent ces vins ?
The Filius Chardonnay and the Premier Brut Blanc de Blancs give their best between one and five years. The Premier Chardonnay, the Kevin John, the Filius Cabernet and the Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot hold for five to ten years. Tom Cullity, Diana Madeline and the Premier Cabernet Sauvignon go beyond the decade and gain in cedar and spice.
Why is this wine region so recent?
Because it was born of a study rather than of a tradition. An agronomist demonstrated in 1965 that this coastal strip offered a climate close to that of Bordeaux, and the first plantings followed as early as 1967. In some sixty years, the region has risen among the most sought-after signatures in the country, as the text above recounts.
Which dishes should you serve with these bottles?
The blanc de blancs opens the meal on oysters or a fish tartare. The Chardonnays go with grilled fish, poultry in cream sauce and mature goat's cheeses. The Cabernets call for a leg of lamb, a rib of beef or a roast rack of veal. With the cuvées for the cellar, serve a simply grilled piece of meat.
Are there Australian sparkling wines?
Yes, and the west coast provides a fine example. Idée Fixe makes its Premier Brut Blanc de Blancs from Chardonnay alone, with the second fermentation in bottle, at €48 a bottle and available singly. The sparkling wine page brings together bubbles from every origin.