Our Top Wines and Wineries at a Glance
Rich, elegant and easy to drink, our wines are hand-crafted for discerning palates. Top labels include:
- Adinfern Estate
- Arlewood Estate
- Beckett's Flat
- Blackwood - Fishbone
- Brookwood Estate
- Fermoy Estate
- Flying Fish Cove
- Forest Hill
- Happs
- Laurance
- Moss Brothers
- Plan B Wines
- Thompson Estate
- Windows Margaret River
- Wise Wine
- Woody Nook
Margaret River Wineshop focuses on Quality, Value, Selection and Service. Our value-added services include:
- "Just for Fun" Wine Courses
- Private Wine Tastings
- Wine and Food Pairing Dinners
- Corporate Functions
- Free Delivery on Mixed Cases
- Wholesale Prices on Bulk Orders
Margaret River Wineshop
G/F No. 3 St. Francis Street
Wan Chai, Hong Kong
Tel: (852) 2575 6770
E-mail: contact@mrwineshop.com
World-winning Wines, Wineries and Winemakers
Margaret River Magic – Wine like No Other
By Ross Meder
Managing Director
Margaret River for Asia Limited
- Part I: Introduction
- Part II: The History
- Part III: The Geography
- Part IV: The Terroir
- Part V: The Grapes
- Part VI: The Wineries and Winemakers
- Part VII: The Wines
Part I: Introduction
Margaret River is magic. Just say the name to conjure images of magnificent coastlines, towering forests, rolling farmland and impossibly tidy rows of grapevines. Say it again to summon enchanting memories of the rich Shiraz sampled at a boutique winery or the crisp Chardonnay sipped over a tantalising al-fresco lunch.
Margaret River, indeed, has many charms and foremost among these are its world-class wines created at innovative wineries – distinctive wines crafted in a wine region like no other by winemakers with singular skill and a vision of their own.
Often called the “Bordeaux of Australia”, Margaret River first saw the commercial planting of grapevines after the mid-1960s when a report noted striking similarities in soil and climate with France’s premier wine region. The comparison lives on today with Margaret River known for the excellence of its Bordeaux-style blends of Cabernet Sauvignon / Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc / Semillon.
However, although similarities with other principal wine regions exist, there are also significant differences. And it is these key dissimilarities that make Margaret River and its produce as unique as the people who tend the vines and craft fine wine there. But then, the secret to the magic has always been that inimitable mix of people and place that is exclusively Margaret River.
Part II: The History
As the Roman legions marched across Italy, Spain and France they planted vines and left a lasting legacy of winemaking in Europe. Although Julius Caesar never came, saw or conquered Australia, it was Italian immigrant farmers including Albert Credaro, Jimmy Meleri and Domenic Garuccio who successfully grew grapes in Margaret River to make a home-spun table wine for themselves and other Italian families.
The roots of the Margaret River Wine Region also lead back to 1965 and the release of a comprehensive report entitled “The Climate & Soils of Southern WA in Relation to Vine Growing” by agronomist Dr John Gladstones. He noted that the region’s climate and soil were markedly comparable to that of Bordeaux, particularly Pomerol and St-Émilion.
Acting on the report, local farmers Diana and Kevin Cullen planted a trial acre of vines in the Willyabrup area north of Margaret River Township in 1966. The region’s first commercial vineyard and winery, Vasse Felix, was established by Dr Thomas Cullity in 1967. As the vines matured and more vineyards and wineries were established, winemakers in Margaret River soon began taking top honours at prestigious international competitions.
Unofficial Sub-regions
The Margaret River Wine Region was officially registered in 1996. The region is divided into six sub-regions that have not yet been officially registered, but they are generally accepted by the industry. The sub-regions are: Carbunup, Karridale, Treeton, Wallcliffe, Willyabrup and Yallingup, with the Willyabrup area deemed the jewel in the crown.
Part III: The Geography
Located in the Australian state of Western Australia, the Margaret River Wine Region is situated about 280 km southwest of the state capital, Perth. It should be noted here that Margaret River is the name of a river, the name of a township near the river and a form of shorthand for the larger wine region that encompasses the river, the town and much more.
The Margaret River Wine Region occupies a verdant stretch of farmland and forested areas that run 100 km from north to south and is about 27 km in width in parts. The region juts out into the Indian Ocean and is bounded on the north by Cape Naturaliste and Geographe Bay and on the south by Cape Leeuwin and the Southern Ocean.
In addition to the township of Margaret River are the towns of Vasse, Yallingup, Cowaramup, Witchcliffe and Karridale. The majority of vineyards and wineries in the region are clustered in a triangle with its southern corner at Cowaramup (about 12 km north of Margaret River Township), its northeastern corner at Vasse and northwestern corner at Yallingup.
Another, albeit smaller grouping, of flagship wineries is located southeast of Margaret River Township reaching to the north of Witchcliffe (about 10 km south). Most vineyards in the region are located within 3-7 km of the Indian Ocean, with national parks along the coast providing a lovely windbreak against the salt-air breezes.
Part IV: The Terroir
Loosely translated as “a sense of place”, the French term terroir is often used in reference to the sum total of the climate, temperature, hours of sunshine and rainfall, geography, elevation, lay of the land, drainage and soil conditions and soil make-up that give a wine region – or sometimes even a specific vineyard or section of vines – its unique characteristics.
The Margaret River Wine Region, located at longitude 115.07361 and latitude 33.95250 and bounded by ocean on three sides, enjoys a West Coast Mediterranean climate. This means hot-to-mild and dry summers and mild and wet winters with an absence of frost or extreme temperatures. A relatively high humidity provides an excellent growing environment.
The region receives an annual rainfall of 1,160 mm, but just 48 mm in the summer months of December, January and February and 200 mm in the crucial growing season between October and April. Heat summation in degree days (C) is 1,690.
The general landscape is shaped by the ancient and mineral-rich Leeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge. Soil conditions across the region vary, but most vineyards are planted in gravelly loam topsoil over clay sub-soils providing for excellent drainage, but also making irrigation essential. The majority of vineyards have been established near the major water courses that flow west to the Indian Ocean, being Willyabrup Brook, Boodjidup Brook and Margaret River.
Part V: The Grapes
The main grape varieties in Margaret River are: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, for whites, and Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz for reds. The region is likely best known for the excellence of its blends of Cabernet Sauvignon / Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc / Semillon. There are also exciting new experimentations with the planting of Chenin Blanc, Verdelho, Viognier and Sangiovese in the region.
Chardonnay
Margaret River is arguably Australia’s best region for Chardonnay, as reflected well in the top example of the variety produced by Leeuwin Estate. Characteristic of the Australian style, Margaret River Chardonnays are bright and fruit-driven. When unoaked they are light, crisp and green. When oaked are buttery with tropical fruits and hints of butterscotch.
Sauvignon Blanc
One of the world’s most popular and ubiquitous grape varieties, Sauvignon Blanc is noted for its aggressive, pungent and potent fruity qualities. The variety is early to bud, late to ripen and requires a great deal of summer heat. Sauvignon Blanc grown in Margaret River is generally citric and grassy with textures of tropical fruits and gooseberries.
Semillon
Margaret River is recognised for producing some of Australia’s best Semillon, notably wines from Moss Wood and Evans and Tate. The Australian style for Semillon is light and dry. Semillon from Margaret River can be noted for its cut-grass characteristics. Unoaked Semillon is often bottle-aged to mellow, while oaked Semillon is toasty with citric flavours.
Merlot
Merlot is a grape variety now coming into its own. Softer in flavour, it is often viewed as a blend to add mid-palette to Cabernet Sauvignon. Merlot excels in the relatively cooler climate of Margaret River where an absence of frost suits the grape’s tendency to bloom early. Margaret River Merlot is deep and rich with the flavours of plums and cherries.
Cabernet Sauvignon
Sometimes called the grape that made Margaret River, Cabernet Sauvignon requires a long growing season and is an ideal variety for the region’s relatively cooler climate. The wine tends to be high in tannins, producing fine structure and ageability. Look for blackcurrant, ceddarwood and chocolate flavours in a mid-bodied Margaret River wine.
Shiraz
The gentle heat and long hours of sunshine of Margaret River provide ideal conditions for growing rich, dark and aromatic Shiraz. Possibly the most versatile of all grape varieties, Shiraz (also called Syrah) can be light and soft or deep and flavourful as a varietal or blend for Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot. Look for spice, herbs and intense berry flavours in a full-bodied wine.
Part VI: The Wineries and Winemakers
The vineyards and wineries located in Margaret River are small by Australian standards. Unlike the sometimes titanic operations producing oceans of wine each year in South Australia and New South Wales, vineyards and wineries here are commonly family owned and operated with many maintaining fewer than 25 ha under vine.
Because there are no grape varieties native to Australia, grapevines – like the science and art that is modern winemaking – have been imported. But like all immigrants, the grapes and the process of winemaking have developed a distinctly Australian accent.
The grapes reflect the terroir and the wine the advances in temperature-controlled fermentation needed here. Although technology does play an important role in Margaret River, it is skilfully blended with traditional winemaking methods and sensible philosophies about sustainable land management.
The region is witnessing a second generation of New World winemakers who employ the best of the old and the new combined with a love of the land to craft fine wine. Today there are some 3,000 ha under vine in Margaret River and more than 260 grape-growers and/or wine producers in the region, which has become increasingly sophisticated in its production methods and the home of a burgeoning wine tourism industry.
Part VII: The Wines
“The proof is in the pudding” it is rightly said and this wisdom applies equality to wine. The Margaret River Wine Region, although established just 40 years ago, is already recognised internationally for the consistent quality of its wines – good, enjoyable, approachable wines noted for their depth, complexity and elegance rather than their power.
Further proof of the quality and success of Margaret River is well reflected in the fact that, although the region contributes only 3% of Australia’s wine grapes, it commands more than 20% of the nation’s premium wine market. Wine bearing the Margaret River label is also exported to Asia, the United States and Europe, where they recognise a top drop.
The region has become famous for its fruity, dry Chardonnay and Cabernet Blanc / Semillon blended whites as well as its rich Cabernet Sauvignon / Merlot blend and Shiraz. The Shiraz hit the world stage when Evans and Tate won the "best red in the world" at the 2000 London International Wine Challenge. Numerous awards and accolades have followed. Australia’s Margaret River is one of the newest, largest and most promising wine regions in the world.
Its vineyard and winemaking techniques have been influenced by European and American styles, but its wines enjoy a look and taste that is uniquely their own. Fruit driven and intense – they are the new classics of Margaret River.