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West Australia

Australia’s biggest State extends the western third of the continent, although the winemaking regions are almost entirely situated in the south-western tip of the State. The South-Western Wine regions are considered Australia's most isolated wine-growing areas.

The Swan Valley established in 1829 by Thomas Waters is the historical centre for wine production in Western Australia, however the states cooler climate south-western wine regions such as Margaret River, and The Great Southern are considered to be more significant due to the Swan Valley being noted as one of the hottest viticultural regions in the world. Partly because of this, and as a reaction to the emergence of the Margaret River and Great Southern regions spanning the far south western corner of the state a large number of producers have deserted the area with the numbers of vineyards shrinking. In the year 1970, 90 percent of the state's wine was made from grapes grown in the Swan Valley; by 1980 the figure was 59 percent; by 1996 it was 15 percent and still falling.

Despite having only around 7 percent of Australia’s vineyards and a mere 3 percent of grapes crushed. The winemaking regions of the South-West of the state attract a large amount of media attention.

Wine regions

South West Australia

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Margaret River

Margaret River is one of the most immediately recognized wine regions of Australia by both domestic and international audiences. It is the foremost Geographical Indication in the South West Australia Zone, with nearly 5,500 hectares under vine and over 138 wineries as at 2008. The region is made up predominately of boutique size wine producers; although winery operations range from the smallest crushing 3.5 tonne per year to the largest around 7000 tonne.

Although the region produces just three percent of total Australian grape production, it commands over 20 percent of Australia's premium wine market. Stretching some 100km from north to south and about 27km wide in parts. The region comprises the rolling hills of the Leeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge, between Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin. To the west, the Indian Ocean provides a dramatic boundary of cliffs, world-renowned surf and some of Australia’s most pristine beaches. It is a wine region of superior growing conditions with a Mediterranean style climate. This means vineyards are not affected by extreme summer and winter temperatures. With an overall climate similar to that of Bordeaux in a dry vintage.

Humidity levels are ideal during the growing period and the combination of climate, soil and viticulture practices leads to consistently high quality fruit of intense flavour. Consequently annual vintage results continue to exceed expectations and reinforce its reputation of one of the premium wine producing regions of the world.

The principal grape varieties in the region are fairly evenly split between red and white; cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz, merlot, Chenin Blanc and Verdelho.

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Great Southern

The Great Southern (wine region) is Australia's largest wine region a rectangle 200 kilometers from east to west and over 100 kilometers from north to south. It has five nominated subregions for wine, namely the Porongurups, Mount Barker, Albany, Denmark and Frankland River under the Geographical indications legislation as determined by the Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation. The vineyards spread throughout the area have significant variations of climate however the region is the coolest of Western Australia’s viticultural areas; with a similar maritime influenced Mediterranean climate to Margaret River although with slightly less rainfall. This diverse region is known for Riesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Shiraz, and Malbec.

Subregions

• Albany is a subregion of the Great Southern region of Western Australia, its focal point being the town of the same name. Albany’s climate is martime, strongly shaped and moderated by the Southern Ocean; the standard description is that it is Mediterranean, with moist, cool winters and warm, dry summers. Diurnal temperature range is minimal , and moderate humidity in summer assists ripening by reducing stress on the vines. Soil conditions: lateritic gravelly, sandy loams or sandy loams derived directly from granite and gneissic rocks. Lat: 35 02’S; Alt: 75 m; Hdd: 1495; Gsr: 303 mm; Mjt: 19C; Harvest: Early Mid-March to end April; Chief Viticultural Hazard: Birds.

• Denmark is a costal neighbor of Albany and is one of the five subregions of Great Southern. It is marginally wetter and cooler than Albany, but the differences are not of any significant magnitude. As one moves north away from the coast, the ocean influence lessens; there is also a series of steep hills and valleys before you emerge onto the rolling slopes of the Great Southern region proper. The town of Denmark is a magnet for visitors, and some of the more remote wineries from other subregions have set up cellar doors there. While there is some north-south variation, the climate is broadly similar to Albany; the varieties being grown and the wine styles are also similar. Lat: 31 56’S; Alt: 50-150 m; Hdd: 1471; Gsr: 354 mm; Mjt: 18.7C; Harvest: Early March to late April; Chief Viticultural Hazard: Birds.

• Frankland River is one of the five subregions of the Great Southern in Western Australia. It is situated in the northwestern corner of the region, its western boundary touching the eastern side of Manjimup. It is the most northerly, inland subregion of Great Southern, still Mediterranean in terms of dominant winter-spring rainfall, but with greater continentality, thus favoring Riesling, shiraz and cabernet sauvignon. A unique feature is a sea breeze which finds its way inland and cools the late afternoon temperature by about 2C. Total rainfall decreases from west to east, and salinity in the soil and surface water makes irrigation difficult. The answer is a complex and extensive system of very long collection channels and drains on slopes, plus holding dams and long-distance pumping. The gently rolling hill country is catchment for the Frankland, Gordon, Kent and Tone rivers. The soils are chiefly derived from granite or gneiss outcrops, and so are typically rich, red in color and of uniform depth. Lat: 34 39’S; Alt: 200-300 m; Hdd: 1441; Gsr: 310 mm; Mjt: 19C; Harvest: Mid-March to mid-April; Chief Viticultural Hazard: Drought; Birds.

• Mount Barker is generally regarded as the senior and most important subregion of the Great Southern. Situated as it is in the very heart of the Great Southern, the continental aspects of the climate make this quintessential country for Riesling and shiraz. While, as with the rest of the region, rainfall is winter-spring dominant, late vintage rains can create problems. Mount Barker’s continentality also means greater diurnal temperature fluctuations and the occasional spring frost. The Plantagenet Plateau, with Mount Barker its centre point, is marked by its marri soils, lateritic gravelly/sandy loams coming directly from granite rock protusions. Lat: 34 36’S; Alt: 180-250 m; Hdd: 1488; Gsr: 287 mm; Mjt: 19C; Harvest: Early March to mid-April; Chief Viticultural Hazard: Spring frosts; late vintage rain.

• Porongurup is the fifth of the subregions of Great Southern, somewhat untidily locking into Mount Barker on its western boundary. Great stands of towering eucalypt forest and massive series of rounded granite knobs and boulders give way to sweeping views out over the stirlings in one part, and towards Esperance in another. A feature of the climate is a night-time thermal zone, created by a layer of warm air which rises above the denser cold air sliding down the hillsides of the subregion and settling on the lower valley floor. It is on these slopes that most of the vineyards are planted. The excellent air drainage further diminishes the risk of frost. Throughout the region, soil types are often named after the dominant eucalypt species of the location. Thus the soils are deep karri loams derived from weathered granite. Lat: 34 10’S; Alt: 259-300 m; Hdd: 1441; Gsr: 310 mm; Mjt: 19C; Harvest: Mid-March to early May; Chief Viticultural Hazard: birds.

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Blackwood Valley

This is the least known and one of the newest of Western Australia’s wine regions. The first vineyard and winery, Blackwood Crest, was established in 1976 in the north-eastern corner of the region. Recent expansion has seen the establishment of many more vineyards in support of six wineries and cellar doors. In large part, the boundaries of the region are self-defining. In the south the boundary abuts Manjimup, to the west and north Geographe, and on the south-east it meets the northern limits of Great Southern. There are no official subregions but wineries are located across the region at Boyup Brook, Bridgetown and Nannup. The region is situated at the same latitude as Margaret River and shares many of the same basic climatic characteristics, most notably wet and relatively warm winters and proportionately cool, dry summers. Typically, the variation between summer and winter daytime temperatures is little more than 10°C (50°F). The points of difference stem from the more continental climate, with winter frosts sometimes extending into spring (with consequent crop losses) and a slightly higher summer temperature range than that of Margaret River. The soils are part of the Darling Plateau system with moderately incised valleys providing gravel and gravelly soils on the divides, and yellow soils and red earths on valley slopes. Overall, the result is well-drained, gravelly loam soils that are perfectly suited to viticulture.

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Geographe

Geographe is a compact region unified by its warm to hot and mostly maritime climate. In this region, what might in other more continental areas be considered excessively warm temperatures are modified by the prevailing south-west sea breezes coming off the Indian Ocean. Summers are dry but rainfall is generous during winter and relative humidity is quite high. The Harvey River meanders through the northern boundary on its way to the coast. Bunbury, 140 kilometres (87 miles) south of Perth is the region's commercial centre with Busselton at its south-western corner. The region is watered by several rivers, chiefly the Capel, Ferguson, Collie and Brunswick rivers which, during their descent from the Darling Ranges in the east over millions of years, have created fertile valleys on their way to the coast. While there are as yet no officially recognised subregions, there are three quite distinct areas. The first is the true coastal sector, stretching from the Harvey Shire just north of Bunbury to Busselton in the south, and with the lush peaceful Capel River and the town of Capel at its centre. Wholly maritime-influenced by the warm Indian Ocean, its climate is similar to that of the northern part of the Margaret River, although the soil types vary considerably. The Donnybrook area is next and has a distinctly different climate, as it is cut off from the maritime influence of the Indian Ocean by the intervention of the Darling and Whicher Ranges. The net result is a continental climate, which Dr John Gladstones describes as closely resembling that of Bendigo and Rutherglen in Victoria, with considerable diurnal temperature fluctuations as a result of which spring frosts may present a problem in the locality.

The third area is the valley of the Ferguson River where early success with Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon has led to a rapid expansion in plantings. The largest venture is Willow Bridge Estate, with a 100 hectare (247 acre) vineyard and a 2000 tonne (1814 ton) capacity winery. The coastal tuart sands have limestone as their parent material and overlie limestone; a permanent water table at a depth of between three and 15 metres (10 to 49 feet) is a further aid to viticulture. However, low natural fertility and ready leaching of nutrients mean that care has to be taken to achieve the best results. The soils of the traditional farming and orchard land at Donnybrook are richer, being either gravelly sandy loams or heavier soils derived from the gneissic country rock in the valleys. Overall, this is an area of considerable beauty with a varied topography that results in an impressive landscape; one of the components of which is the Western Australian flora. The magnificence of the gum trees, ranging from the tuart forests of the coastal sands of the same name through to marri and karri eucalyptus further inland, is internationally renowned and combines with the spectacular native shrubs and flowers to make this region unique.

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Manjimup

Named after and centred on the town of Manjimup, the region is situated immediately north of the Pemberton region and extends westward for 20 kilometres (12 miles), 60 kilometres (37 miles) east to Perup and 20 kilometres (12 miles) north to Wilgarup. The dividing line with Pemberton is largely based on soil type, topography and elevation, with Manjimup having red gravelly loams and an elevation of 200 to 300 metres (656 to 984 feet) and Pemberton, being lower, with heavier black and much less gravelly loams.

The climate is influenced by two oceans, the Indian and the Southern. It has some similarities to Margaret River, although at a higher altitude it is more continental. Cold winters provide true vine dormancy, and plentiful spring rainfall promotes good budburst and early growth. The relatively dry but stress-free summer and autumn conditions are no less favourable.

The best soils of the region belong to the Kennan-Queenup series of sandy, gravelly loams created over millions of years by the erosive effects of the Warren River and its tributaries. An ironstone lateritic gravel layer several metres below the ancient surface has eroded so that the gravel has been mixed with red soil formed from the underlying granite to produce a red, gravelly loam.

As with the adjacent Pemberton region, large areas are heavily forested and, on average, only 25 percent of the region is suited to, or available for viticulture. On the other hand, to the extent that irrigation is necessary, there is an abundance of clear, salt-free water available from the streams and rivers that continue to flow throughout the summers.

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Pemberton

Named after and centred on the town of Pemberton, this richly timbered region was first planted experimentally in 1977, with commercial vineyards following in 1982, and enjoyed rapid growth in the 1990s. The region is situated in the lower south-west of Western Australia; west of the Great Southern and south-east of the Margaret River regions. Except for the months of December to March, Pemberton has a marginally warmer growing season climate than does neighbouring Manjimup, which may seem somewhat surprising but is confirmation that Manjimup has a more continental climate in that it warms and cools more quickly than does Pemberton. The result is that Pemberton not only has a higher heat degree day summation, though only by 5 HDD, and more sunshine hours (1623 to 1535), but it also has a heavier rainfall and greater relative humidity. The mean annual range of Pemberton is also lower, 8.55ºC (45.68ºF) as opposed to 9.7ºC (49.46ºF) for Manjimup, simply because Pemberton is nearer the sea. In other words, it has a slightly more maritime climate.

As a result of the high annual rainfall, a number of vineyards do not use irrigation, but the very pronounced winter and spring dominance can lead to stress if subsoil moisture diminishes late in the growing season. While Manjimup is seen as more suited to the Bordeaux varieties, at Pemberton the focus has moved more towards the Burgundian varieties of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Some 85 percent of the Pemberton region remains under native vegetation with magnificent marri forests in the northern half, moving to karri in the south. There are two major soil types. The first are the lateritic gravelly sands and gravelly loams overlying medium clay with moderate water retention capacity. These moderately fertile soils are found on many of the higher slopes around Pemberton. The second soil is the more fertile karri loam which was formed directly from the gneissic country rock and which, together with the abundant winter and spring rainfall, leads to vigorous growth.

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Greater Perth

Perth Hills

Viticulture has been practised intermittently in the picturesque Perth Hills amidst the Darling Ranges for over a century but on a generally tiny scale. Thus, while Despeissis was able to report in 1902 that grapes grown in the Mundaring-Chidlow subregion ripened two to three weeks later than in the Swan Valley, the earliest of the present day wineries in the region date back only to the 1980s. For a long time very few of the region's wineries crushed more than 50 tonnes (45.4 tons). However, Western Range Wines has now established a vineyard of 100 hectares (40.47 acres) in the Chittering Valley and a much greater regional production is anticipated. It is an area that is very different to the Swan District and is only 22 kilometres (14 miles) from Perth, making it easily accessible to day trippers.

There are no subregions.

As expected, the climate varies significantly with altitude, but also with the orientation of the maze of valleys that criss-cross the Perth Hills. The tempering influences which reduce the heat summation and delay ripening for 10 to 21 days (compared to the Swan Valley) are firstly the altitude; secondly, the free air flow, and thirdly exposure to afternoon sea breezes. The annual rainfall of 900 to 1200 mm (35 to 47 inches), depending on altitude is strongly winter-spring dominant and given adequate dam and thus irrigation sites, the climate poses no problems for the vigneron. Overall, Dr John Gladstones likens it to that of the Douro Valley in Portugal, which is perhaps why it should be more suited to dessert wines and fuller bodied reds than to lighter bodied table wines.

Rivulets and often dry creek beds, ridges, hills and valleys criss-cross the region in every direction, offering an almost unlimited choice of aspect and slope but those cut off from the sea breeze influence tend to be warmer rather than cooler.

The valley slopes have ironstone and gravel sandy loams as well as gravelly loams which overlay clay, similar in type to much of South West Australia and which were once covered with marri forests. They are well suited to viticulture, being of moderate fertility and producing moderate yields.

Peel

Peel lies between the Swan District and Perth Hills to the north, and Geographe to the south. The European settlement of Peel dates back to 1829 when a visionary named Thomas Peel brought three ships of migrants from England for the Peel Settlement Scheme. In 1846 the first lead, silver and zinc mine was opened in West Australia. Although short-lived, it presaged the large-scale mineral sands, gold and bauxite mining and the processing operations that commenced during the 1970s. The first commercial vineyard was established with a planting of Shiraz by Will Nairn at the Peel Estate in 1974. While most other varieties have also now been established, Shiraz remains the flagship variety for the region and Peel Estate its flagship producer. The eastern extension of the Peel region incorporating the Darling plateau around Boddington/Wandering/Mount Saddleback includes very old granite and gravel soils. These are totally different to the limestone sands and fluvial sediments of the coastal area, which have significant ground-water reserves three to 15 metres (49 feet) below the surface. The coastal region has a Mediterranean climate with cool, wet winters and hot dry summers, with sea-breezes moderating extremes; inland and at higher altitudes land-breezes are stronger, rainfall lower and temperatures slightly lower.

Swan District

The first vines at Olive Farm were planted in 1829 by Thomas Waters, and the following year he dug out the wine cellar that is incorporated in the present day winery of the same name. Thus, the Swan District predates both Victoria and South Australia in viticultural terms. For almost 150 years it was the only significant wine-producing region in Western Australia and is today also home to the state's largest winery, Houghton. It is an actively multicultural area with the descendants of early Yugoslav, Italian and English migrants continuing the region's winemaking traditions.

By whatever yardstick is used, the Swan District proper has a hot Mediterranean climate. It has an extremely high mean January temperature of 24.15°C (75.5°F). In addition, it has an extremely low growing season rainfall, 167 mm (6.5 inches), a low relative humidity of 44 percent, and a high 1791 total sunshine hours during the growing season. Its heat summation of heat degree days almost comes as an anticlimax at 1832. However, the district is relieved from the heat by the famous Fremantle 'Doctor' - the south-westerly sea breeze! The Gingin/Moondah Brook area is somewhat cooler, and although still at the very warm end of the climatic spectrum, it has consistently demonstrated a surprising capacity to produce full flavoured, full bodied white whites, particularly with Chenin Blanc, Verdelho and Chardonnay.

The region is a flat alluvial plain flanked by the Darling Range and watered by the Swan River and its tributaries. The Gingin and Moondah Brook areas are set on gentle slopes in the north of the region.

The soils of the Swan District region are typically young alluvial soils; very deep, with excellent moisture retention capacity. They range from reddish sandy loams through to brown and yellow-brown loamy sands. The other soil type on the lower slopes of the Darling Range is the highly suited gravelly sand to gravelly sandy loam overlying brown clay.

See also

• Australian wine
• Great Southern (wine region)
• Margaret River (wine region)

External

• Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation: Western Australian wine region

References

Books

• Wineries Western Australia - (2005) - Department of Land Information in conjunction with the Wine Industry Association of Western Australia. (Funding assistance from Tourism Western Australia and Department of Industry and Resources) ISBN 0-7309-2922-1
• Halliday, James A history of the Australian wine industry 1949-1994 Adelaide : Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation in association with Winetitles, 1994.ISBN 1875130160
• Ray Jordan, Ray Jordans Guide to wine, The West Australian, Australia 2009
• James Halliday (2009). The Australian Wine Encylopedia. Hardie Grant Books. ISBN 978-1-74066-774-6.
• Campbell Mattinson, ‘Why the French hate us’, Hardie Grant Books 2007
• Oz Clarke, 'Oz Clarke's Pocket Wine Guides', Harcourt November 1 2002
• The Australian and New Zealand wine industry directory, 27th Annual edition, 2009, Winetitles.
• Hugh Johnson & Jancis Robinson. The World Atlas of Wine. Mitchell Beazley; 6th Revised edition edition year=2007. ISBN 978-1845334147.
• James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion Hardie Grant books, 2009

Online

• Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation: Western Australian wine region

Articles

• Peter Forrestal, STM, The Sunday Times, 2009
• Jordan Mackay, WineEnthusiast january, 2006

Footnotes

Category:Wine regions of Western Australia Category:Regions of Western Australia Category:Western Australia de:Weinbau in Australien fr:Viticulture en Australie it:Viticoltura in Australia no:Australsk vin ru:Виноделие в Австралии sv:Australiska viner