Margaret River, Western Australia My journey across much of the Australian wine trail starts here, or shall I say Over There in this outpost of the countrys wine industry. That terminology isnt due to Margaret River being tiny (there are around 150 wineries; not bad for a region thats only been making serious juice for 40-something years. ) Its the fact that this is arguably one of the most isolated, far-flung, globally acclaimed wine-growing areas on the planet. In this southwest pocket of Australia, I find myself worlds away (at least 3,000 kilometres) from the better-known Australian wine hubs.
Its both that southern aspect and proximity to the Indian Ocean that allows things to cool down considerably at night here, which is key to maintaining the stunning, lively acidity as well as appropriate ripeness which keep the wines buoyant and bright.
Margaret River is where youll find the finesse, intensity and balance more akin to the wines of Bordeaux, with the top wines sharing the same grape varieties and blends. Youre going to want to primarily look for Cabernet Sauvignon, which harbours eucalyptus notes (which also drift through the regions air from surrounding foliage,) plus the ubiquitous Bordeaux white blend of grassy, citrusy Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon with its peachy, apricot-tinged slightly waxy character. The only other grape thats not originally from Bordeaux that seems to thrive widely here is Chardonnay, which tends to be clean, bright, full of lime, melon and zip while cradled by gentle French oak.
Virginia Willcock, one of the most inspiring people Ive met on this trip, is the chief winemaker for Vasse Felix, the regions oldest winery and the one that impressed me most. She articulated the state of Margaret River perfectly as she explained the justification for doing away with their second-tier (cheaper) Adams Road line of wines, which brought great profit and success to the winery, along with the recent decision to pull out Tempranillo vines which had constantly produced critically acclaimed wines
Was the Tempranillo fantastic? Yes, it was, she explained, but was it ever going to be the best in the world? Of course not. We simply dont have the alititude, character and age of Rioja, the grapes natural home. We were never going to be close to being the best in the world. So my thinking is, if you know what youre making doesnt have the potential to be the best in the world, well, then youre just making booze. Im not here to make booze. Im here to make some of the best wines in the world.
Indeed. Everything they put out these days is incredible, from Cabernet to Chardonnay and beyond.
Vasse Felix wines can be found at government liquor stores, private wine stores and are imported in B.C. by Appelation Wine Marketing. Theyre within the $25-$40 mark from VasseFelix.com.au
Other Margaret River wineries of note: Xanadu and Devils Lair for under-$20 value plus Fraser Gallop for high-end finesse.
Any and all of the grape varieties and styles mentioned above will have you going in the right direction.
