The rolling hills of the Leeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge are extremely pretty, however it is the dramatic coastline of the region that is particularly spectacular.
On arrival in Perth, tourists, temporary residents or fledgling “Blow-ins” from beyond Western Australia’s vast borders are always encouraged to make an essential pilgrimage “Down South”. To locals, “Down South”, usually refers to Margaret River. Almost 3 hours driving time south-west of Perth, the region extends 90 kms from Dunsborough in the north to Augusta in the south with the Indian Ocean as its natural boundary on three sides.
The rolling hills of the Leeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge are extremely pretty and the inland area has abundant picnic spots where creeks flow through gentle valleys. However, it is the dramatic coastline of the region that is particularly spectacular. World class wines are not the only reason that this region has become famous. Watching the massive breaks from the safety of the shoreline it is clearly evident why the Margaret River Masters is the premier surfing event on the World Qualifying Series calendar. It is not uncommon for winemakers and cellar hands alike to down tools if the surf’s up and embrace the Australian cultural ethos: Work hard, but play hard too.
Identified in a 1965 report for the Journal of the Australian Institute of Agricultural Science by Dr. John Gladstones, the Margaret River region appeared to have all the natural characteristics required for viticulture. Free Dr.aining, gravelly, sandy loam soils together with a Mediterranean climate from the moderating influences of the Indian Ocean presented favourable conditions and hastily drew similarities between Bordeaux and Margaret River.
In 1967 Dr. Tom Cullity began planting vines at Vasse Felix. Medical colleagues followed suit - Dr. Bill Pannell at Moss Wood and Dr. Kevin Cullen of Cullen Wines. Within a few years fellow wine pioneers at Cape Mentelle and Leeuwin Estate established their vineyards. Although only tiny quantities of wine were produced, they were of the highest quality and won widespread critical acclaim.
Today, the proliferation of almost 120 wine producers from the original handful is very impressive with plantings increasing tenfold over the past 20 years. Highly paid professionals poured money into vine planting – either with a view to make more money or as an alternative lifestyle from their busy lives. The 1970s and 1980s were a time of strong growth for the region whilst the 1990s enjoyed a boom.
Unfortunately, for some producers this was also followed by the inevitable bust – tax incentives and Managed Investment Schemes appeared to promise good returns. However, producers who relied heavily on the reputation of the region without following through with a high quality product soon encountered challenges, whilst those without a strong marketing strategy in place had their own difficulties. It really has been a case of survival of the fittest.
The core group of Margaret River producers, which includes Leeuwin Estate, Voyager, Howard Park, Cape Mentelle, Cullen Wines and Moss Wood, have continually promoted their high quality wines on the export market. Strong relationships have been forged over many years with distributors and agents around the globe, as well as members of the wider hospitality industry. These loyal customers that unwittingly become brand ambassadors are increasingly valuable in today’s market.
Margaret River is a region that has tirelessly marketed its unique regionality and has firmly established its reputation as an area of high quality from its inception. Like the producers of Coonawarra and the Clare Valley, they have always recognised the need to look outside their own domestic markets to ensure a long term, profitable future for their businesses. At a time when the Australian white wine market is being flooded with cheap imports from across the Tasman Sea and inexpensive, lighter bodied reds are pouring in from Europe, Australian producers with strong foundations in the export markets appear less likely to struggle.
Singapore’s proximity to Margaret River has resulted in a strong following amongst consumers and many of the region’s wines are represented in our market. Those tasted include some of the classic, well established names along with a few more recent arrivals. It was heartening to note that each one of the 13 wines tasted was sealed with a screw cap. That’s quality focus on the future!
Tasted Wines
Leeuwin Estate Siblings Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon 2008
Leeuwin Estate needs little introduction. The Art Series range, in particular the Chardonnay is an Australian wine icon. The Prelude Vineyards tier has forged its own strong following, delivering extremely high quality at its price point. The introduction of a white Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon blend under the Siblings label resulted in yet another example that punched well above its weight at its entry level price point. The original delightful photo remains on the label which was introduced a decade ago although the youngsters in the picture are now very grown-up. Their parents and grandparents remain fully involved in the management of Leeuwin Estate. Extremely pale in colour, the wine displays lifted, fragrant passion fruit and pink grapefruit aromas. It is immediately refreshing with intense, zesty grapefruit flavours and concentrated ripe fruit. This is a perfect wine for Singapore’s climate and cuisine. (Available at Sunko Trading)
Fermoy Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2008
Although established over 20 years ago, Fermoy Estate in the Wilyabrup sub-region of Margaret River has remained a fairly consistent quiet achiever, particularly where their reds are concerned. Almost watery pale in colour the wine had delicate pear-Dr.op and candied fruit notes on the nose with a distinct herbaceous undertone. Very lightweight on the palate with a grassy, citrusy dominance the acidity gave it a refreshing lift on the finish. I strongly felt that a dash of Fermoy’s impressive Semillon would not have gone amiss in this wine to give it more weight and a more harmonious balance. (Available at Wine Directions)
Fermoy Estate Chardonnay 2007
This second example from Fermoy more clearly displayed the capabilities of long-standing winemaker, Michael Kelly. Vibrant green hues on the pale colour suggested a young, lively wine. The nose had abundant toasty oak with warm vanillin aromas. Extremely youthful on the palate all the essential elements (oak, acid and fruit) sit quite apart from each other at this stage. The tight acidity counteracts the richness of the oak treatment and the ripe stone fruit characters but it needs more time to mellow and for the flavours to integrate to show its true potential as a Margaret River Chardonnay. (Available at Wine Directions)
Green Valley Chardonnay 2004 This was a completely unknown label to me and it was only upon reading the back label that I had some insight into the wine’s parentage. This small vineyard is overseen by Ian Bell, formerly of acclaimed Moss Wood although this particular wine was “handcrafted” by Keith Mugford, long standing owner and winemaker at Moss Wood. Such collaboration and mutual respect is one of the joys of small wine regions – a strong community spirit is very evident from such close collaborations. As a five year old wine the colour showed more depth of colour than the previous examples but it still had obvious green hues. A lovely layer of nuttiness and even some smoky bacon characters have developed on the nose with creamy notes from malolactic fermentation and lees contact but not at all overpowering or butterscotch-like. The palate is still slightly unyielding giving a powerful wine with intense citrus and stone fruit flavours but with an astringent bite that needs to mellow with a little more time. With further development the fruit will come to the fore but the freshness will remain. (Available at Sunko Trading)
Voyager Estate Chardonnay 2004 (museum release)
Voyager Estate can be found very close to Leeuwin Estate in the Witchcliffe area, located at the southern end of the Margaret River region. With a slightly cooler climate than the Willyabrup area further north, together with other terroir factors, Chardonnays produced here are often described as having very “high toned” fruit. There were no hints of its age on the colour. The nose was quite restrained with extremely attractive nutty, toasty, savoury oak and ripe stone fruit characters. All the elements came together with amazing harmony – the concentrated “high-toned” fruit was balanced by a tight, intense acid backbone whilst toasty, nutty oak flavours gave an extra layer of interest and texture. The end product is a complex, yet still very lively wine which displays its pedigree very well. (Available at The Moomba)
MadFish Pinot Noir 2006
MadFish was originally introduced as the second tier range of wines from Howard Park. Today it is generally considered as more than just a second label. The easily recognisable label which incorporates an indigenous painting of a turtle has proved immensely popular both in Australia and here in Singapore. Margaret River is not readily associated with Pinot Noir so it is interesting that the label states Western Australia as the origin, suggesting that fruit from elsewhere has been included. This is likely to have come from the Great Southern region where Howard Park also has extensive vineyards. Medium density garnet in colour the wine displays crushed strawberries on the nose with a slight herbaceous undertone. Medium weight with fine tannins there is lively red fruit and freshness on the palate along with a significant amount of chary oak. (Available at Cornerstone Wines)
Cullen Wines “Mangan” 2007
The name Cullen is synonymous with talent and commitment. Vanya Cullen continues to uphold the high quality of winemaking set by her parents, Kevin and Diana, when they first established their vineyards in 1971 as some of the original pioneers of the region. “Mangan” 2007 is a blend of Merlot (31%), Petit Verdot (32%) and Malbec (37%). Each of these grape varieties is densely coloured so the resulting wine is almost opaque in colour with an incredibly vibrant crimson rim. The nose displays abundant fleshy plum characters with some spicy French oak evident from the 4 months it has spent maturing in predominantly one and two year old barrels. Medium plus bodied and extremely succulent on the palate, black fruit concentration and licorice flavours abound. Lively acidity and gentle, fine grained tannins give the palate good length and a refreshing finish. (Available at Hai Choo Wines)
Green Valley “Gelignite Block” Shiraz 2004
This wine honours “the courage, dedication and spirit of the pioneers”. The vineyard was formerly a plot of land where explosives were kept to clear bush land for future agricultural use. Medium plus density in colour, was it merely strong word association that suggested the aroma had a slight whiff of gun flint? The palate was medium bodied with supple mulberry flavours and a spearmint leaf edge. Fine grained tannins with good acidity results in a juicy, fruit pastille character. This is a very fruit forward wine for immediate consumption. (Available at Sunko Trading)
Celestial Bay Shiraz 2004
Originally a dairy farm this property was purchased in 1998 and vines planted in 1999. Grapes from these early vintages were sold to local producers and then in 2003, as with so many grape growers in the region, a decision was taken to produce wine under their own label. This is a wine to enjoy when you turn the air conditioning down to its coldest setting, throw on jeans and a jumper and imagine yourself sitting in front of a roaring fireplace! Deep crimson in colour the nose has dense black primary fruit with some eucalypt overtones. Dusty tannins and powerful blackberry fruit make this into a very juicy fruit explosion on the palate. (Available at Sunko Trading)
Celestial Bay Shiraz 2005
With a colour as dense as the previous vintage, the wine showed similar spearmint and black fruit on the nose although this displayed an attractive spicy undertone as well. Fleshy, chewy blackberry fruit is balanced by dusty tannins. Although very fruit Dr.iven and quite straightforward there is a good acid lift with spearmint flavours on the finish to give the wine a character of freshness. (Available at Sunko Trading)
Fermoy Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
Margaret River’s reputation was originally founded on the quality of the Cabernet Sauvignon it produced. In the past decade a lot of work has been done in the southern cooler areas of the region to get better ripeness levels and move away from the capsicum and black olive characters that sometimes detracted from the wines. This example is deep crimson in colour with red and blackcurrant fruit concentration on the nose. It is medium bodied with the fine grained tannins, lively acidity and abundant cassis flavours that are so closely associated with Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine does need time to integrate and develop more complex flavours. (Available at Wine Directions)
Pierro Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot LTC 2006
It was no surprise to me that this would probably be my favourite red wine of those tasted – Mike Peterkin makes beautiful wines and his Chardonnay is particularly well regarded. 2006 is considered to have been a very cool year in Margaret River so not necessarily a great Cabernet Sauvignon year. However, Pierro has produced a superb wine showing how careful vineyard management and winemaking skill can bring out the best the vine has to offer. Dense garnet in colour, spicy plum notes and a lifted fragrance of black fruit and floral complexity meant this wine was a real step up in quality from the previous reds. Although full-bodied, it displayed elegance and finesse that are the hallmark characters of top quality Margaret River wines. Ripe fruit blended harmoniously with the fine grained, dusty tannins, juicy acidity and concentration. It is very young but drinking well now although with time it will develop delicious secondary characters including coffee and chocolate. (Available at Hai Choo Wines)
Moss Wood Ribbon Vale Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2007
Margaret River here lays claim to another Australian land mark producer. Established in 1969 by Bill and Sandra Pannell, Keith Mugford joined as winemaker in 1979 (eventually purchasing the property in 1985) – this year is his 30th vintage! The long standing Ribbon Vale Vineyard became part of Moss Wood in 2000 and has gone from strength to strength in a relatively short space of time. The almost opaque, inky density of the colour is highlighted by a vibrant crimson rim. Blackcurrant fruit and spice dominate the nose. The dusty, fine grained tannins balance with a wonderful fleshy, chewy mid palate. There is abundant black fruit and the lively acid gives the wine a good lift. As with the Pierro, the oak element has been judicious and very skilfully incorporated into the wine. This wine is very young and will really benefit from further careful cellaring to show its true character. (Available at Hai Choo Wines)
Suzanne Brocklehurst 11/10/09Leeuwin Estate needs little introduction. The Art Series range, in particular the Chardonnay is an Australian wine icon. The Prelude Vineyards tier has forged its own strong following, delivering extremely high quality at its price point. The introduction of a white Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon blend under the Siblings label resulted in yet another example that punched well above its weight at its entry level price point. The original delightful photo remains on the label which was introduced a decade ago although the youngsters in the picture are now very grown-up. Their parents and grandparents remain fully involved in the management of Leeuwin Estate. Extremely pale in colour, the wine displays lifted, fragrant passion fruit and pink grapefruit aromas. It is immediately refreshing with intense, zesty grapefruit flavours and concentrated ripe fruit. This is a perfect wine for Singapore’s climate and cuisine. (Available at Sunko Trading)
Fermoy Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2008
Although established over 20 years ago, Fermoy Estate in the Wilyabrup sub-region of Margaret River has remained a fairly consistent quiet achiever, particularly where their reds are concerned. Almost watery pale in colour the wine had delicate pear-Dr.op and candied fruit notes on the nose with a distinct herbaceous undertone. Very lightweight on the palate with a grassy, citrusy dominance the acidity gave it a refreshing lift on the finish. I strongly felt that a dash of Fermoy’s impressive Semillon would not have gone amiss in this wine to give it more weight and a more harmonious balance. (Available at Wine Directions)
Fermoy Estate Chardonnay 2007
This second example from Fermoy more clearly displayed the capabilities of long-standing winemaker, Michael Kelly. Vibrant green hues on the pale colour suggested a young, lively wine. The nose had abundant toasty oak with warm vanillin aromas. Extremely youthful on the palate all the essential elements (oak, acid and fruit) sit quite apart from each other at this stage. The tight acidity counteracts the richness of the oak treatment and the ripe stone fruit characters but it needs more time to mellow and for the flavours to integrate to show its true potential as a Margaret River Chardonnay. (Available at Wine Directions)
Green Valley Chardonnay 2004 This was a completely unknown label to me and it was only upon reading the back label that I had some insight into the wine’s parentage. This small vineyard is overseen by Ian Bell, formerly of acclaimed Moss Wood although this particular wine was “handcrafted” by Keith Mugford, long standing owner and winemaker at Moss Wood. Such collaboration and mutual respect is one of the joys of small wine regions – a strong community spirit is very evident from such close collaborations. As a five year old wine the colour showed more depth of colour than the previous examples but it still had obvious green hues. A lovely layer of nuttiness and even some smoky bacon characters have developed on the nose with creamy notes from malolactic fermentation and lees contact but not at all overpowering or butterscotch-like. The palate is still slightly unyielding giving a powerful wine with intense citrus and stone fruit flavours but with an astringent bite that needs to mellow with a little more time. With further development the fruit will come to the fore but the freshness will remain. (Available at Sunko Trading)
Voyager Estate Chardonnay 2004 (museum release)
Voyager Estate can be found very close to Leeuwin Estate in the Witchcliffe area, located at the southern end of the Margaret River region. With a slightly cooler climate than the Willyabrup area further north, together with other terroir factors, Chardonnays produced here are often described as having very “high toned” fruit. There were no hints of its age on the colour. The nose was quite restrained with extremely attractive nutty, toasty, savoury oak and ripe stone fruit characters. All the elements came together with amazing harmony – the concentrated “high-toned” fruit was balanced by a tight, intense acid backbone whilst toasty, nutty oak flavours gave an extra layer of interest and texture. The end product is a complex, yet still very lively wine which displays its pedigree very well. (Available at The Moomba)
MadFish Pinot Noir 2006
MadFish was originally introduced as the second tier range of wines from Howard Park. Today it is generally considered as more than just a second label. The easily recognisable label which incorporates an indigenous painting of a turtle has proved immensely popular both in Australia and here in Singapore. Margaret River is not readily associated with Pinot Noir so it is interesting that the label states Western Australia as the origin, suggesting that fruit from elsewhere has been included. This is likely to have come from the Great Southern region where Howard Park also has extensive vineyards. Medium density garnet in colour the wine displays crushed strawberries on the nose with a slight herbaceous undertone. Medium weight with fine tannins there is lively red fruit and freshness on the palate along with a significant amount of chary oak. (Available at Cornerstone Wines)
Cullen Wines “Mangan” 2007
The name Cullen is synonymous with talent and commitment. Vanya Cullen continues to uphold the high quality of winemaking set by her parents, Kevin and Diana, when they first established their vineyards in 1971 as some of the original pioneers of the region. “Mangan” 2007 is a blend of Merlot (31%), Petit Verdot (32%) and Malbec (37%). Each of these grape varieties is densely coloured so the resulting wine is almost opaque in colour with an incredibly vibrant crimson rim. The nose displays abundant fleshy plum characters with some spicy French oak evident from the 4 months it has spent maturing in predominantly one and two year old barrels. Medium plus bodied and extremely succulent on the palate, black fruit concentration and licorice flavours abound. Lively acidity and gentle, fine grained tannins give the palate good length and a refreshing finish. (Available at Hai Choo Wines)
Green Valley “Gelignite Block” Shiraz 2004
This wine honours “the courage, dedication and spirit of the pioneers”. The vineyard was formerly a plot of land where explosives were kept to clear bush land for future agricultural use. Medium plus density in colour, was it merely strong word association that suggested the aroma had a slight whiff of gun flint? The palate was medium bodied with supple mulberry flavours and a spearmint leaf edge. Fine grained tannins with good acidity results in a juicy, fruit pastille character. This is a very fruit forward wine for immediate consumption. (Available at Sunko Trading)
Celestial Bay Shiraz 2004
Originally a dairy farm this property was purchased in 1998 and vines planted in 1999. Grapes from these early vintages were sold to local producers and then in 2003, as with so many grape growers in the region, a decision was taken to produce wine under their own label. This is a wine to enjoy when you turn the air conditioning down to its coldest setting, throw on jeans and a jumper and imagine yourself sitting in front of a roaring fireplace! Deep crimson in colour the nose has dense black primary fruit with some eucalypt overtones. Dusty tannins and powerful blackberry fruit make this into a very juicy fruit explosion on the palate. (Available at Sunko Trading)
Celestial Bay Shiraz 2005
With a colour as dense as the previous vintage, the wine showed similar spearmint and black fruit on the nose although this displayed an attractive spicy undertone as well. Fleshy, chewy blackberry fruit is balanced by dusty tannins. Although very fruit Dr.iven and quite straightforward there is a good acid lift with spearmint flavours on the finish to give the wine a character of freshness. (Available at Sunko Trading)
Fermoy Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
Margaret River’s reputation was originally founded on the quality of the Cabernet Sauvignon it produced. In the past decade a lot of work has been done in the southern cooler areas of the region to get better ripeness levels and move away from the capsicum and black olive characters that sometimes detracted from the wines. This example is deep crimson in colour with red and blackcurrant fruit concentration on the nose. It is medium bodied with the fine grained tannins, lively acidity and abundant cassis flavours that are so closely associated with Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine does need time to integrate and develop more complex flavours. (Available at Wine Directions)
Pierro Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot LTC 2006
It was no surprise to me that this would probably be my favourite red wine of those tasted – Mike Peterkin makes beautiful wines and his Chardonnay is particularly well regarded. 2006 is considered to have been a very cool year in Margaret River so not necessarily a great Cabernet Sauvignon year. However, Pierro has produced a superb wine showing how careful vineyard management and winemaking skill can bring out the best the vine has to offer. Dense garnet in colour, spicy plum notes and a lifted fragrance of black fruit and floral complexity meant this wine was a real step up in quality from the previous reds. Although full-bodied, it displayed elegance and finesse that are the hallmark characters of top quality Margaret River wines. Ripe fruit blended harmoniously with the fine grained, dusty tannins, juicy acidity and concentration. It is very young but drinking well now although with time it will develop delicious secondary characters including coffee and chocolate. (Available at Hai Choo Wines)
Moss Wood Ribbon Vale Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2007
Margaret River here lays claim to another Australian land mark producer. Established in 1969 by Bill and Sandra Pannell, Keith Mugford joined as winemaker in 1979 (eventually purchasing the property in 1985) – this year is his 30th vintage! The long standing Ribbon Vale Vineyard became part of Moss Wood in 2000 and has gone from strength to strength in a relatively short space of time. The almost opaque, inky density of the colour is highlighted by a vibrant crimson rim. Blackcurrant fruit and spice dominate the nose. The dusty, fine grained tannins balance with a wonderful fleshy, chewy mid palate. There is abundant black fruit and the lively acid gives the wine a good lift. As with the Pierro, the oak element has been judicious and very skilfully incorporated into the wine. This wine is very young and will really benefit from further careful cellaring to show its true character. (Available at Hai Choo Wines)
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