Wine Tasting in Western Australia

A Road Trip through Nine Wine Regions with over 2000 Wines

Oct 19, 2008

Just as the grape vines in the northern hemisphere are getting ready to rest for the winter, in the southern hemisphere the buds are bursting on the vines.

Western Australia has nine wine districts that produce over 2,000 wines. Each district is distinct in its micro-climate, soils, and style. Wine tasting there is like it used to be in Napa Valley in the ‘60s. Slow country roads follow rows upon rows of grapevines. A dirt driveway ends at an old barn, next to a house where the owner lives. He works day and night with his grapes, happily sharing with visitors the liquid velvet juice that gives such pleasure.

Swan Valley

Swan Valley is known as the heart and soul of the industry and is only an hour from the center of Perth. The Swan district has a hot Mediterranean climate with low rainfall and soil that retains what little moisture they have, producing full-bodied white wines, particularly their Chardonnay, Verdelho, and Chenin Blanc.

Perth Hills

Winding roads follow the rolling hills and forested slopes of Perth Hills. The red dirt is indicative of Australian Bush, a tough place for grapes to survive. This is one of Australia’s smallest wine districts. Several good restaurants make a good destination for a day-trip from Perth. Bushwalks and picnic grounds are also part of the allure.

Peel

A favorite for zinfandel fans since Peel Estate, the highest profile winery in the district, makes a great zin—one of the few zinfandels made in Western Australia. The Peel region is about a 40-minute drive from Perth. The nearness of the Indian Ocean provides regular afternoon cooling, creating just the right clime to make some of the State’s best reds.

Geographe

This is considered to be one of the State’s most exciting wine regions. The Shiraz is out-classing most of the wines from this area, but the newer varieties, such as tempranillo, are catching on quickly. The Geographe region includes the towns of Bunbury, where dolphins bring their babies within reach of people standing along the shoreline, and Busselton, a lively water-lovers delight on Geographe Bay.

Margaret River

Margaret River is the best known wine region in Western Australia, both nationally and internationally. The first vines were planted in 1967, almost immediately transforming the area from a surfer’s paradise to a wine lover’s dream. Leeuwin Estate in Margaret River has earned the reputation as making Australia’s finest chardonnay. Best of all, the wine industry has actively endorsed creating a tourism industry to help support it, making a symbiotic relationship and a first-class destination vacation.

Pemberton

Pemberton is home to the magnificent Karri trees. The dense forests and lush green bush help to keep things cool on those scorching summer days. The first vines weren’t planted until 1977, so it’s still a young region, but it shows promise. The sauvignon blancs and merlots that are coming from this region are turning out to be outstanding.

Manjimup

There seems to be a fine line between Manjimup and Pemberton, and many don’t know where that line is. It all depends on the Australia Wine and Brandy Corporation’s declaration of which wineries should be in Manjimup. The climate here is similar to Bordeaux, producing flavors that are intense and strong. This is one of the most beautiful county drives even without tasting the wines.

Blackwood

The Blackwood Valley didn’t jump on the wine train until 1998. Even so, it’s already establishing a good name for itself. The Shiraz and cabernets are dense and rich, promising to tempt more wannabe wine makers to this area. Until then, there are plenty of opportunities for canoeing down the rivers or taking a number of bush walks.

Great Southern

This is by far the largest wine region in Western Australia and is seen as the engine that drives the State’s industry. Large vineyards are producing volumes of grapes for good quality, yet low-cost, cool area wines. The area is known for its huge range of styles from the five sub-regions it is divided into: Albany, Denmark, Frankland River, Mount Barker, and Porongurup. Great Southern does particularly well with making high-quality Rieslings and some of Australia’s best Shiraz.

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