Since 1976 this region has increasingly taken advantage of its favourable soils and climactic conditions to produce wines of class and distinction.
Complementing the wine is the special environment - bush walks are favourite activities for tourists, who also enjoy local restaurants, art and antiques.
Lush green pastures, forests of tall trees, gently flowing rivers that wind through the valleys among undulating hills, peaceful rural towns, fertile farmlands, orchards and vineyards make the area one of Western Australia’s most picturesque.
Cabernet Sauvignon
This is the most widely planted red grape and shows blackcurrant and dark chocolate characters. These are supported by long, fine tannins, giving the wines excellent aging potential.
Chardonnay
A considerable part of the production is sold to wineries outside the region. As in the Margaret River region, the style is generous and rich, with ripe melon and peach fruit flavours.
Sauvignon Blanc
The cooler climate suits this popular varietal well. The wines show well the grassy, vegetal flavours that are typical of the variety.
- The region is situated on the same latitude as Margaret River and shares many of the same basic climatic characteristics. Most notable of these are wet and relatively cool winters and proportionately warm, dry summers.
- Typically the variation between summer and winter daytime temperatures is little more than 10°C. The points of difference stem from the more Continental climate, with winter frosts sometimes extending into spring (with consequent crop losses) and a slightly higher summer temperature range than that of Margaret River.
- The soils are part of the Darling Plateau system, with moderately incised valleys providing gravel and gravelly soils on the divides and yellow soils and red earths on valley slopes.
- Overall, the result is well-drained, gravelly loam soils perfectly suited to viticulture.