The Not So Wild West: Margaret River in the Groove&nbsp;

BY ANGUS HUGHSON | SEPTEMBER 08, 2022The story of Margaret River is rooted in
a combination of its ancient landscape and the early dreamers who settled there
fifty years ago, drawn by its majestic beauty and extreme isolation. Located in
the far south-western corner of the Australian continent, Margaret River
historically was a place where counterculture thrived, and adventurers laid
down new foundations in search of a better life. It is not difficult to see
why, even today, thanks to the natural beauty that still hits the traveller at
every bend in the road with old growth forests and their remnants, which are truly
remarkable. Margaret River is where towering forests not unlike California’s
Redwoods meet the turquoise waters of the vast Indian Ocean with vineyards
snuggled in between. Those forests and their wood were Margaret River’s first
lifeline to the world.

Today Margaret River is liquid gold,
particularly thanks to vineyards planted with Chardonnay and Cabernet
Sauvignon, with the region’s curious climate making it one of the few regions in
the world that has proven itself to be highly suitable to both Bordelaise and
Burgundian grape varieties. It is a
chameleon that can, and has, successfully pivoted as styles have changed over
the years. Margaret River stretches over 60 miles in length north to south and
17 miles wide with distinctive climactic differences on display. At the same
time, it is also a place steeped in indigenous history, with evidence of
Aboriginal inhabitants dating back 50,000 years. There is an energy and
vibrancy to the land plus rich biodiversity that radiates out of its greatest
wines.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1662645007563-Margaret+River_cover.jpg">Harvest time at Cullen wines.

What Margaret River has achieved in
almost 50 years is quite remarkable. From small beginnings and the work of a
handful of founding families, many of whom are still in the industry today, it
has now laid claims as a world class cool climate region. With Coonawarra and
the Yarra Valley, Margaret River was one of the first Australian zones to
really explore more marginal climates yet still retains the country’s classic
generosity of fruit. While it has grown in stature and reputation, Margaret
River has also never lost its humble, down to earth feel. Small family
businesses still dominate the landscape with most winemakers and equally CEOs
spending their spare time swimming, surfing, fishing or diving for abalone, taking
time out of their daily grind to revel in the region’s natural splendour.
Unsurprisingly, once winemakers arrive, they seldom leave. The wine industry
has over the years also welcomed many locals from all kinds of backgrounds to
share the region’s success, including a handful of school teachers who developed
successful wineries. This is backed by a small number of more serious players,
such as Vasse Felix and Voyager Estate, with significant investment and global
aspirations, which has only added to the region’s rich tapestry and spurred all
on to reach for the stars. A long history of collaboration between local
winemakers and viticulturists continues to this day. This started with the
pioneers meeting for barbeques to share their latest creations, another
hallmark of a wine region hungry to use all available resources in a quest for
greatness. The close bond between Margaret River’s wine industry and the land
is also illustrated in the widespread use of sustainable practices as well as
organic and biodynamic viticulture, a trend no doubt likely to accelerate in
the coming years.

Some of the first wines from Margaret
River to gain wide attention were juicy, fruit forward blends of Sauvignon
Blanc and Semillon that wowed many with their pungent aromas and flavours. In
the Australian market, they were a precursor to the wildly successful Sauvignon
Blancs from Marlborough in New Zealand. Highly popular and cheap to produce,
these fruity whites showcased regional purity and vibrant fruits which has
become the region’s trademark, although in an early drinking package. There
were certainly a handful of early premium quality focused wineries, but the
real wine stars were few and far between. But slowly, the local vignerons grew
in confidence as their neighbours started to gain widespread attention. The
1987 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Art Series in particular, crafted with fruit
from vines planted in 1975, made the locals believe that this little wine
region, at the end of the earth, could compete with the top end of town. The
last 35 years have seen momentum build, and build, with constant refinement and
improvement in styles and quality.

Not only is Margaret River a special
place but viticultural serendipity has also been very kind with the early
propagation of clones that have proven to be very well suited to the region, in
fact one of the secrets to its success. The Houghton clone of Cabernet
Sauvignon was imported to Western Australia from South Africa in the eighteen
hundreds with its low yields and small berries helping to make concentrated
wines.

The origins of the widely planted Gingin
clone of Chardonnay have also been long discussed. The regular occurrence of
hen and chicken, which seems to provide particularly flavoursome Chardonnay,
gave many the impression that it was identical to the Mendoza clone. While both
the Gingin and Mendoza clones come from UC Davis in California and have some
similarities, they are in fact quite distinct. So, what was probably a
random choice for importation back in 1957 has proved to be very fortunate and
has had a profound impact on Margaret River and the quality of its Chardonnay -
sometimes luck is on your side. The lack of Phylloxera in the region has
allowed the vast majority of vines to be planted on their own rootstocks. In no
doubt, this helps to explain the unique characters and quality of the wines.

As a wine region Margaret River has long
been compared to Bordeaux because of its location close to the ocean and the
high quality of its Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as white wines made with
Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Academics had originally hypothesised a strong
similarity, although this is a dramatic over-simplification. The vineyards of
Margaret River are planted on a coastal plain which juts out into the sea fed
by cooler air from the Southern Indian Ocean and surrounded on three sides by
water. It’s exposed to the brutal force of the vast Indian Ocean, the result
being that Margaret River is generally spared from the baking seasons
occasionally seen further east with fresh afternoon sea breezes as its saviour.

Compared to Bordeaux, the vineyards are
relatively exposed to the elements although with a slightly warmer average
temperature. For the driest continent on earth, one of the most salient aspects
is how unusually even the climate is with few heat spikes, which explains much
of the wine style with its mix of bright, sweet fruits matched by marked
subtlety. The result is elegant and wonderfully pure Cabernet Sauvignons and
Chardonnays.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1662645041035-Morning+storms+at+Gnarabup+beach_copy.jpg">Morning storms at Gnarabup beach. Overseas Intervention Small plots of vines had been in Western
Australia since the 1830s, but there was likely little aspiration to reach for
quality. Actually, it was&nbsp;an American Viticultural Professor, Harold Olmo, who
visited the state on a Fullbright Research Scholarship in 1955, that in many
ways lit the fire for serious Western Australian wines. Olmo visited a number
of regions and in fact favoured the more Southerly Great Southern region over
Margaret River. However, he was soon followed by a local agronomist, Dr. John
Gladstones, who believed that Margaret River may be superior, as long as vines
were planted in free draining soils.

Gladstone’s work saw a handful of
pioneers take up the challenge with Vasse Felix, Moss Wood, Cape Mentelle,
Cullen, Sandalford and Leeuwin Estate planting between 1967 and 1974. It is
hard to imagine how difficult this would have been in that they were in effect
establishing a completely new industry in one of the world’s most isolated
corners without a ready supply of key hardware and know-how. Everyone was
involved in the process, even the young children of the founders, roped in to
do the back-breaking job of removing stones from the rocky vineyards and
planting vines. The nearest supply store was a two-hour drive each way making
for a half a day round trip on poor roads. It was a tough, unforgiving life,
but self-belief and passion for wine kept these pioneers on track.

Olmo was not the only American to make a
splash. Leeuwin Estate was always set up with the highest aspirations and
enlisted Robert Mondavi to consult after a chance meeting. His experience and
skills with Chardonnay were no doubt an important factor in the early Chardonnays
Art Series, gaining early international accolades, particularly the 1981 and
1987. With Mondavi’s assistance, unsurprisingly these wines were fairly typical
of Australia’s first forays into Chardonnay with powerful, sweet fruits, yet
with elegance and focus which would become future hallmarks of the Margaret
River style.Modern Australia The last decade has seen a profound
change in wines across Australia. While there are still plenty of decadent,
sunshine in the glass styles to be found, particularly in the Barossa and
McLaren Vale, the industry has taken giant leaps towards wines with greater
balance and refinement. Margaret River has been a leader in this change,
particularly for Chardonnay, moving away from wines with ripe fruit, full
malolactic fermentations and generous oak towards classically proportioned
wines with more prominent acidity and everything dialled back to good effect.
This has also been mirrored by a greater use of solids with wild ferments and
more lees content to craft wines with greater sophistication making modern
Margaret River Chardonnay a reference style for the country and the new world.
There are also occasionally top-class oak fermented and aged blends of Semillon
and Sauvignon Blanc. These are not always an easy sell in the local and international
markets which has seen a lack of focus on this style. It is a pity as the wines
can be truly outstanding.

This change in national wine style has
been driven by several factors including a desire by winemakers to make wines
with better aging potential as well as a reaction against the big, sweet,
oak-driven wines of the past. The youthful desire of the Australian wine
industry to be noticed, often through heavy handed winemaking, has been slowly
replaced by a quiet confidence that the country’s underlying terroir is better
served by a gentle hand in the winery. There has also been a growing national
self-belief that the country could craft wines that deliver far more than simply
forceful flavours. This has dovetailed nicely with a growing local consumer
taste for more subtle wines with lower alcohol. It all played perfectly into
Margaret River’s hands thanks to its cooler climate that was well suited to
more medium weight red wines and modern, finely balanced Chardonnay. While
Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay are the stars, there is plenty more going on
behind the scenes, particularly with Merlot and Shiraz. There is a good case
that, if given the same focus as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot from Margaret River
may also gain a reputation as the country’s finest. Shiraz is a different story
and Margaret River Shiraz is unlikely to compete with the best from further
East. However, the region can create deliciously savoury examples with a
distinctly Southern Rhône accent to enjoy over the short to medium term.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1662645121995-Harvest+time+at+Cullen+wines_copy.jpg">Leeuwin Estate Vineyard.Sub-Regionality - Friend or Foe Inevitably, in such a large region, there
has been a long history of discussion about sub-regions. From north to south,
the key areas are Yallingup, Wilyabrup, Wallcliffe and Karidale. They represent
significant differences in soil, which is important in a region that receives
around 1,000mm of rain per year. The region has invested significantly in
understanding the soil and climatic differences. It appears the soil makeup is
particularly complex showing marked differences not only between regions north
to south but also within regions east to west with coastal soils quite
different from those further inland. These differences sometimes extend even to
within vineyards. There are ten distinct soil types and include ironstone,
quartz, gravels and alluvial sands on a base of gneiss, schist, limestone and
granite - the bedrock having been put down between one hundred fifty and six
hundred million years ago.

Climate also differs with the vineyards
in Wilybrup, where it is significantly warmer from those further south. But the
question that remains for the governing authorities, is whether those
differences are significant enough to warrant the identification of a
sub-region? The sub-regional discussion peaked recently when five winemakers
from Wilyabrup applied for a Geographical Indication; although, that application
has recently stalled with no clear timeline for when a final decision will be
made. There is little doubt that this is the first salvo in what will be a long
fight for recognised sub-regions in Margaret River.

The sub-regional conversation around
quality is also in flux. For decades it has been widely considered that the
Wilyabrup and Wallcliffe sub-regions were the most advantageous for wine
quality. Thanks to gentle global warming and greater interest in more elegant
styles, one of the recent trends in Margaret River has been a strong move South
towards the vineyards of Karridale, particularly for Chardonnay and sparkling
wines, where there is increased cloud cover, humidity and cooler southerly
winds. There is no better illustration of this than the Idée Fixe winery, Vasse Felix new premium sparkling wine house, which
draws fruit only from Karridale. Very recent soil sampling has also potentially
uncovered some surprising soils in Karridale including quartz breccia -
shattered quartz often cemented together in small blocks. This is very
different from the gravelly ironstone soils that are currently featured in many
of the region’s top vineyards. Long ignored, it is only now that the vineyards
of Karridale are enjoying the attention of their northern neighbours.2019 - Cool and Focused The low climate variability in Margaret
River is the envy of many winemakers around Australia. While it is exposed to
the elements, particularly weather systems coming in from the Indian Ocean, and
the occasional remnants of a sub-tropical storm or cyclone coming south from
the tropics, there are relatively few challenging seasons. Two
thousand-nineteen is a great example of a cooler year with harvest two to three
weeks behind recent means, but close to long-term averages. A cool Spring and
Summer brought with it the risk of poor weather at harvest which never
eventuated thanks to a long Indian Summer. White grapes were harvested in
exceptional condition with bright acidity providing wines with impact and focus
that will age well. It is a more reserved and understated vintage for Cabernet
Sauvignon with most wines to enjoy over the mid-term, although the best have
good cellaring potential thanks to exceptional balance rather than deep wells
of fruit and structure. There is one very usual local danger that did affect
the 2019 Margaret River vintage, birds. Margaret River has long been a home of
a forestry industry and still today there is an abundant supply of mature
trees, particularly the Marri tree. Poor flowering of Marri trees in 2019 did
bring severe bird and bee pressure, although the best producers ensured minimal
damage thanks to netting.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1662645153693-Sunset+at+Voyager+Estate.png">Sunset at Voyager Estate. 2020 - Warm and Generous Two thousand twenty was a dream vintage
for Margaret River viticulturists and winemakers with challenges kept to a bare
minimum. Plenty of winter rain set the vintage up beautifully providing good
water supplies for the year ahead which would be needed. Some challenges at
flowering including hail, rain and the ever-present wind served to reduce bunch
weights which lowered yields while giving a boost to fruit intensity. From
there, it really was plain sailing, although on the warm side with temperatures
above average for both Spring and Summer with little rain to speak of. Marri
trees flowered just as grape sugars were getting into the danger zone keeping
birds out of the canopies. Two thousand twenty is an exceptional vintage with
fruit soaking up the warm sunshine to create powerful and complex Chardonnays
that have retained good focus. Cabernet Sauvignons are equally impressive and
show the balance and structural integrity for excellent cellaring potential.2021 - La Niña and COVID in Full Swing One of the most challenging of recent
vintages for Margaret River started innocuously enough with mild weather before
a tropical cyclone made landfall in the north of Western Australia, before
heading south and dumping twice the usual rainfall on Margaret River in
November. Warm and dry conditions returned until February when a significant
dump of rain occurred as harvest kicked off putting the brakes on vintage.
Warm, humid conditions followed which were also matched by COVID-induced labour
shortages. Overall, this will be an earlier drinking vintage for red wines
characterised by plush fruits and supple tannins while the whites are defined
by their energetic fruits and tangy acidity making for a solid vintage.© 2022, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism.<hr> You Might Also Enjoy<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/south-australia-victoria-and-a-bit-beyond-sep-2022">South Australia, Victoria and a Bit Beyond</a>, Josh Raynolds, September 2022 <a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/penfolds-collection-2022-jul-2022">Penfolds Collection 2022</a>, Angus Hughson, July 2022 <a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/the-barossa-an-ascent-to-higher-quality-dec-2021">The Barossa: An Ascent to Higher Quality</a>, Josh Raynolds, December 2021

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