What Makes an Iconic Wine?
“Icon” is a big word. It suggests more than just high quality — it implies recognition, longevity, and symbolic power. According to the Oxford Dictionary, an icon is “a famous person or thing that people admire and see as a symbol of a particular idea or way of life.” That definition works surprisingly well for wine.
In this sense, an iconic wine doesn’t just taste good. It represents something. It might symbolise a region (Margaret River), a philosophy (precision blending), or a moment in time (Australia’s global wine rise). And like icons in other disciplines — say, Roger Federer in tennis, or The Rolling Stones in music — it’s not about just one performance or one vintage. It’s about consistency, character, and the ability to influence what comes next.
Not every wine that gets high scores becomes iconic. Not every cult bottle has a lasting impact. But the wines that do earn this status tend to share a few clear traits:
- Consistency: across vintages, producers, or decades
- Age-worthiness: they evolve and improve over time
- A sense of place or somewhereness: they speak clearly of origin (place)
- Recognition: from critics, collectors, and peers
- Cultural significance: they stand for more than just flavour
Iconic wines often overlap with what we call fine wine, but they go further. They’re not just products of craftsmanship or expense — they’re benchmarks. They shape how we understand a grape, a place, or a style.
Two Estates of Australia, Two Histories: Penfolds & Vasse Felix
Australia’s red wine icons are shaped by contrast — in geography, philosophy, and style. And few reflect this duality more clearly than Penfolds and Vasse Felix. One was born in the colonial heartland, the other on an unproven western frontier. Both now stand as references for what Australian red wine can be.
Founded in 1844 by Dr. Christopher Penfold, Penfolds began as a medicinal winery in South Australia, focused on fortified wines. Its turning point came in the 1950s when Max Schubert quietly crafted a Shiraz aged in new American oak, inspired by Bordeaux but reimagined for Australia. That wine became Grange. Initially rejected by Penfolds management, it was revived in secret — and later embraced as a national treasure.
Today, Grange is Australia’s most iconic red. It’s not a (single) vineyard wine. It’s not about one region or a specific origin. As Peter Gago, Penfolds’ Chief Winemaker, puts it: “Grange is not a single site or single variety — it’s a style.” Built through precision blending and aged to last for decades, Grange continues to define Penfolds’ pursuit of scale, longevity, and structure.
On the other side of the continent, Vasse Felix took root in 1967, founded by Dr. Tom Cullity in Margaret River, Western Australia. It was the first winery in a region that barely existed in the national wine conversation. But the site proved exceptional for Cabernet Sauvignon (and Chardonnay), and the winery built its legacy around those varieties.
The estate’s top red, the Tom Cullity, is a Cabernet -Malbec (later adds colour and perfume) blend made from the original 1967 vines — dry-farmed, own-rooted. If Grange is iconic for its scale and boldness, Tom Cullity is its quiet counterpart: site-driven, savoury, and structured with restraint. Under Virginia Willcock, the wines have leaned even further into natural acidity, texture, and age-worthiness. She often describes her Chardonnay philosophy with a winemaker’s precision: “We want to pick the fruit al dente — not raw, not cooked, just right.”
While Penfolds builds complexity through regional blending and oak regime, Vasse Felix relies on vineyard fidelity and a long growing season. One winery made its name by pushing boundaries; the other by planting where none had planted before. Both continue to evolve — not chasing fashion, but building on deep foundations.
Together, they offer two views on what a red wine icon can be in Australia. One wears a suit; the other, boots and gravel. But both deserve their place in the conversation.
The Road to Greatness
Grange and Tom Cullity didn’t become icons overnight. Their journeys to the top of Australian red wine are shaped by conviction, technique, and long-term vision — though they followed very different paths.
Penfolds Grange was born from resistance. Max Schubert created it in the 1950s, inspired by European structure but using Shiraz and new American oak, blended across multiple South Australian regions. The result was rich, muscular, and built to age — a wine that didn’t rely on terroir in the traditional sense but rather on the precision of style. Over time, Grange became a benchmark not just in Australia but globally, commanding thousands of euros per bottle at release and even more on the secondary market.
Vasse Felix Tom Cullity took a slower, more site-specific route. Planted in 1967 in Margaret River’s gravel soils, the original Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec vines still yield fruit used in the estate’s flagship wine. Unlike Grange, Tom Cullity is a product of a single site, dry-grown vines, and minimal intervention winemaking — including basket pressing, wild yeast fermentation, whole bunch approach, and French oak ageing (around 50% new). The result is not power but depth: savoury structure, acidity, and length rather than bold fruit or volume.
While Grange represents mastery of blending and oak regime, Tom Cullity is about restraint and respect for the place. One is a global luxury symbol, the other a quieter benchmark of regional excellence. Grange is built to impress; Tom Cullity is built to unfold.
Yet both wines reflect unwavering intent. They’re not shaped by trends but by standards. Whether made in vast volumes or from a single block, they each offer a clear message: greatness isn’t an accident — it’s a decision, made vintage after vintage.
East vs West: The Origins of Greatness
In Australian wine, the east (or south) and west coasts could hardly be more different — in geography, in climate, and in philosophy. For Penfolds and Vasse Felix, those differences are not just background noise. They’re foundational to how each winery approaches the idea of a red wine icon.
Margaret River, home to Vasse Felix, lies on the remote southwestern tip of Australia. It’s far from the country’s major wine-producing hubs — and even farther from the nearest capital city. But its natural setting is extraordinary. The region sits between two major oceans: the Indian Ocean to the west, warm and steady, and the Southern Ocean to the south, cold and wild. These bodies of water meet offshore, creating a cooling effect that moderates temperatures, extends the growing season, and protects against heat spikes.
This maritime influence gives Margaret River a consistent, long, slow ripening period — ideal for Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, the region’s two defining grapes. Combine that with ancient gravelly soils, low fertility, and natural drainage, and you get fruit with concentration, freshness, and structure. In short: nature does much of the heavy lifting. The winemaker’s role is to preserve what’s already there. For Vasse Felix, that means respecting site expression, maintaining natural acidity, and picking the fruit “al dente” — not overripe, not green.
On the other side of the continent, Penfolds Grange is built on a very different idea. Grange isn’t from a single vineyard or even a single region. It’s a multi-regional blend, typically drawing from Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Coonawarra, and occasionally other South Australian sites like Padthaway or Clare Valley. Each contributes something — fruit weight from Barossa, elegance from Coonawarra, structure from McLaren Vale — but none defines the wine on its own.
This approach allows Penfolds to prioritise style over place. Grange is not about terroir in the traditional sense. It’s about house vision, vintage management, and consistency across decades. While nature still matters — weather patterns, fruit character, ripeness windows — it’s the winemaking team that pulls the strings. The result is a wine engineered for power, longevity, and recognition, irrespective of where it’s grown.
East and West represent two philosophies. Margaret River delivers clarity of site, purity of fruit, and quiet complexity. South Australia, as interpreted by Penfolds, offers layered richness and stylistic precision. Both can lead to greatness — but by very different roads.
Vasse Felix Tom Cullity 2020
Deep ruby in colour. The nose opens with cool mint, cranberry, spice, and dark chocolate, clearly showcasing Cabernet Sauvignon’s character. Full-bodied, rich, and ripe on the palate, supported by silky, savoury tannins. Layers of cinnamon, black chocolate, a touch of violet, and a hint of blueberry pastry add complexity. The texture is suave, leading to a very long, persistent finish.
Blend: 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Malbec, 3% Petit Verdot.
Penfolds Grange 2005
Deep ruby in colour. The nose is complex with floral notes, liquorice, spice, and a medley of wild herbs – sage, basil, and thyme – followed by a burst of blackberry. Full-bodied on the palate, offering layers of ripe fruit, sweet spice, and a strong initial drive. A juicy, sweet core builds mid-palate tension, balanced by firm tannins. The finish is long, vibrant, and full of energy.
Blend: Shiraz-driven with Cabernet sauvignon providing structure and grip.
Final Thoughts
Grange and Tom Cullity are not just names on labels — they are the result of decades of consistent vision, winemaking clarity, and long-term thinking. In a world where new releases come and go, these two wines stand apart for one simple reason: they’ve earned their place.
Grange represents the power of blending, structure, and style. It is built, not born — engineered for longevity and global stature. Tom Cullity, by contrast, reflects the strength of site, restraint, and timing. It’s grounded in place and philosophy, offering a quieter, more savoury expression of Australian red wine. Both are ambitious, but they define ambition in very different terms.
These wines don’t chase trends or marketing moments. They are the result of choices made vintage after vintage — sometimes against convention, often ahead of their time. That, more than anything, is what defines a wine icon: clarity of purpose, delivered consistently and without compromise.
