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An essential guide to Margaret River wines
Where is the Margaret River region?
Margaret River lies in Western Australia on its most southwesterly edge, jutting out into the oceans with an almost vertical coastline – Cape Naturaliste at the northernmost point and Cape Leeuwin in the south.
This long coastal edge sees the confluence of two oceans – the Indian and the Southern – which both have a strong influence on the region’s climate … conveniently making it a cool-climate zone with a small diurnal range (about 10°C during the growing season). That means mild sunny days help ripen the grapes, with just enough of a drop in temperature at night to slow ripening and preserve freshness and aroma.
Just 3% of the land is planted with vines and those produce just 2% of Australia’s total grape production. Its reputation for quality, however, far outweighs this modest proportion of the total.
It’s also one of the most biodiverse places on the planet, cared for by the Wadandi people for over 50,000 years. It boasts magnificent towering granite peaks, deep underground limestone caves full of stalagmites and stalactites, and tall forest trees – some of which are 400 years old.
Its geology is probably the oldest of any wine region in the world, with its granite gneiss rocks being between 1,130 and 1,600 million years old. Overall, it has a wide range of soils that vary within a small area, often just a few metres apart. So growers can match grape variety to soil within a single small vineyard, varying it from row to row.
Which grapes grow best in Margaret River?
With its moderate climate, Margaret River has a terrific reputation for well-balanced, long-lived wines of excellent quality. Among its repertoire are crisp whites:
- There are bold, ripe Chardonnays underscored by intense citrus freshness. Explore a range of Margaret River Chardonnay wines – from the fine wine drinking of 95-point Driftwood Estate Artifacts to Vinaceous Shakre 93-point Chardonnay, which Wine Orbit described as “Elegantly complex and inviting”.
- Enjoy Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc wines as single varietals or blended with ripe tropical notes and a tight backbone of minerality. A must-try is the Deep Wood Redlands Sauvignon Semillon blend – such elegance and length from this Jimmy Watson Trophy-winning cellar. Or the highly recommended, well-priced Lenton Brae, using a similar blend of grapes.
As for Margaret River reds:
- Cabernet Sauvignon excels thanks to a long, slow ripening period so that both the fruit flavours and the tannins ripen fully, but the grapes still retain their acidity. It also has a good reputation for Bordeaux-style blends. Explore our range of Cabernets and Cabernet blends – from the lofty two-Trophy , 97-point Allegiance Wines Unity Cabernet to the terrific 95-pointer Juniper Three Fields Cabernet and the excellent value Churchview Cabernet.
- Shiraz is another success for the region, but in more of a medium-bodied style compared to the bolder style of the Barossa, say. Search our range.
Explaining the history of the Margaret River wine region
Wine growing in the region on a commercial scale, albeit small, dates back just shy of 60 years. In 1967, Dr Tom Cullity planted his first vines – Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec – on an estate which went on to become Vasse Felix. Bill Pannell followed shortly afterwards in 1969, creating the world-renowned Moss Wood. By 1980, 20 wine estates were established including names we all know and love – Cape Mentelle (1970), Cullen (1971), Sandalford (1972), and Leeuwin (1973).
It took a few years for Margaret River wines to get established, but in the 1980s they gained worldwide acclaim when they won some top awards:
In 1983 and 1984, Cape Mentelle won Melbourne’s renowned Jimmy Watson Trophy.
In 1983, Leeuwin Art Series Chardonnay 1981 astonished critics by being awarded Best Chardonnay in the World by Decanter.
At the region’s 50th anniversary in 2017, there were 164 wineries.
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