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great southern
Regional profile
Great Southern
Photograph: Frances Andrijich
Its potential was spotted a decade before that of more famous neighbour
Margaret River. But only now is this wine region – Australia’s largest – being
appreciated for its diversity of varieties, climates and soils, as well as its focus
on single-vineyard wines. Sarah Ahmed takes a trip to the wild west
Does size always count? If biggest were best,
Australia’s largest wine-growing area, Great
Southern, would be much better known than its
famous sibling Margaret River, which is just an
eighth of its size. However, historically, ‘to be serious
and recognised in wine in Western Australia in the
1990s, you needed something in Margaret River’,
says Jeff Burch of Howard Park. This, together with
Great Southern’s ‘more marginal vintage conditions
for Cabernet Sauvignon’, explains why this top
producer also makes wine in Margaret River.
Leading light Larry Cherubino (Larry Cherubino
Wines) laments that Great Southern ‘has been
responsible for a lot of Western Australia’s success,
but has never been able to leverage its ability to
produce some of the best fruit in the state’. Which
seems a shame when its ‘very promising potential’
was first spotted by Dr Harold Olmo, visiting
professor of viticulture from the University of
California, in 1955 – a full decade before Dr John
Gladstones’ report did the same for Margaret River.
But then Great Southern is Western Australia’s
wild west. Even more sparsely populated in the
1950s and still focused on farming and forestry, the
region’s first vineyard was not planted until 1965;
its first commercial wine, made by Plantagenet,
emerged in 1975.
However, 60 years after Olmo highlighted Great
Southern’s suitability for ‘high-quality light table
wines’, and 40 years after the region’s first
commercial bottling, Western Australia’s coolest
wine region is edging into the limelight. The gifts of
nature which supported his conclusion are
unchanged: the towering karri forests and lush
green pasture which point to good winter rainfall;
moderately fertile soils; and, where it borders the
chilly Southern Ocean, a temperate climate cool
enough to promote slow maturity of the fruit.
The vogue for cool-climate styles has certainly
boosted listings for Great Southern’s elegant wines.
But for Burch, this boost is also due to more ‘small
producers focused on quality, recognising the
benefits of the region’s climate and different
terroirs and collectively making a bigger noise’.
Second-generation producer Hunter Smith
(Frankland Estate) agrees, and attributes the growth
trend to ‘smaller individuals [who] are picking good
sites and working in small ways’ as well as a fall in
global demand for ‘cheaper, cheerful Oz wine’. This
softening demand has also resulted in a quality- ➢
Larry Cherubino’s
Riversdale vineyard in
Frankland River, home to
some of Great Southern’s
finest Cabernets as well as
the Laissez Faire Fiano
Photograph: Ken Martin
Perth
1
WESTERN
AUSTRALIA
WINE REGIONS
1 Swan District
2 Perth Hills
3 Peel
4 Geographie
5 Margaret River
6 Blackwood Valley
7 Manjimup
8 Pemberton
2
3
Bunbury
4
6
Above left: the Howard Park winery – the label
is one of many under Burch Family Wines,
Australia’s largest family-run wine producer
Above right: Hunter Smith of Frankland Estate
Coral
Sea
Indian
Ocean
Cairns
AUSTRALIA
WESTERN
SOUTH
AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIA
Perth
Sydney
Adelaide
Albany and Denmark best suit whites and
lighter reds, especially Pinot Noir. The drier
Albany
Sub-regions
inland sub-regions of Frankland River,
Denmark
1 Frankland River
Mount Barker and Porongurup have warmer
2 Mount Barker
3 Porongurup
days but much colder nights; whites and
4 Denmark
GREAT
5 Albany
reds are structured and intense. Flatter,
Frankland
SOUTHERN
warmer and drier than Mount Barker or
1
Porongurup, Frankland River hosts some of
2
3
the region’s most powerful reds, notably
Mt Barker
Houghton’s Jack Mann Cabernet Sauvignon
Porongurup
from the Justin Vineyard. But, as Smith
N
points out, Great Southern ‘is very site
4
5
Denmark
specific’. He should know; Frankland Estate
Walpole
Albany
makes some of Australia’s best Rieslings (look
50
0
100
out for our panel tasting in the May issue).
Other wine regions
kilometres
Bone-dry Rieslings – more austere than
their South Australian counterparts – have
focused vineyard rationalisation – ‘a lot was
consistently excelled across Great Southern. Now
planted in the 1990s and a lot has been removed
that top sites escape the blenders’ melting pot,
and grafted this decade’, says Cherubino.
Frankland Estate’s terroir-driven, single-site
Rieslings have company, especially from
Single-vineyard focus
Porongurup’s uniquely elevated, granitic outcrop.
Cherubino, who was previously at Houghton, and
Also on the rise, more textural, often off-dry Rieslings
Tony Davies of Snake & Herring (and ex-Howard
are naturally fermented and lees-aged in old wood.
Park) exemplify this trend. Having made wine for
Deviating even further from the region’s classic
bigger players, they have a bird’s-eye view of the
lean style, La Violetta’s Das Sakrileg Riesling features
a dash of Gewurztraminer.
region and the inside track on its most glittering
In Denmark, a new breed of flinty, funky
grapes. As for grower/producers, with ‘fruit salad
Chablis-inspired, early-picked Chardonnays like
planting’ on the wane, new boutique wineries such
Castelli’s Il Liris and Singlefile’s The Vivienne offer
as Oakcliffe and Singlefile look beyond their own
a point of difference from Margaret River’s muscular
vineyards – even sub-regions – to secure the best
wines. Naturally high in acidity, these are
grapes from the best sites for their single-vineyard
‘Chardonnays for Riesling lovers’, says Castelli
ranges. This terroir-driven approach has influenced
winemaker Mike Garland, who sees ‘huge potential’
larger players too. Plantagenet’s Cath Oates has
‘focused on the absolute best, in smaller quantities’, for sparkling wines. Chardonnays from ➢
while at Howard Park, 10 years of research went
into locating its Mount Barrow vineyard.
With its large footprint (16,712km2 over five
sub-regions) and diverse terroir, Great Southern’s
repertoire extends beyond Margaret River’s core
red and white Bordeaux and Chardonnay grapes,
also encompassing Riesling, Shiraz and Pinot Noir.
With higher rainfall, cloud cover and sea breezes,
the relatively marginal coastal sub-regions of
5
8
50
GREAT
SOUTHERN
GREAT
SOUTHERN
100
kilometres
River
0
7
Franklan
d
Sub-regions
Albany, Denmark,
Frankland River, Mount
Barker, Porongurup
Area under vine
2,487 hectares (2012)
Soils
gravelly/sandy
iron-rich laterites
(Marri loams) and Karri
loams derived from
gneissic or weathered
granite rock
Main grapes
Reds (62%)
Shiraz (618ha),
Cabernet Sauvignon
(525ha), Merlot (112ha),
Cabernet Franc (69ha),
Pinot Noir (68ha)
Whites (38%)
Chardonnay (365ha),
Sauvignon Blanc
(324ha), Riesling
(177ha), Semillon
(141ha)
Number of wineries
about 70
Annual production
13,840 tonnes crushed
(2012) or 15,000 cases,
depending on size
Perth
Indian Ocean
Great Southern
at a glance
‘40 years after the first
commercial bottling, Western
Australia’s coolest wine region
is edging into the limelight’
D E C A N T E R • A p r i l 2015 | 63
Great southern
Porongurup and Howard Park’s neighbouring
Mount Barrow vineyard in eastern Mount Barker
similarly have great natural acid line.
Photographs: Castelli Estate; Frances Andrijich; Nic Duncan
Hands-off winemaking
Denmark, Porongurup and Mount Barrow are
making great strides with intense, savoury styles of
Pinot Noir. For Burgundy’s Pascal Marchand who,
with Jeff Burch, makes the Marchand & Burch label,
grapes were chosen from Porongurup and eastern
Mount Barker ‘because the acidity was finer, the
altitude of the sites gave us the cool temperature
needed, there was vine age and slower ripening’.
Although second-generation winemaker Rob
Diletti of Castle Rock has led the charge in
Porongurup (and for Riesling) with old-vine clonal
material, newer Burgundy clones are enhancing
Great Southern’s offer. Referring to his 2004 Mount
Barrow plantings (five Chardonnay and six Pinot
Noir clones), Burch says, ‘I only wished I started 25
years ago.’
Mount Barker and Frankland have long been
known for savoury, medium-bodied Shiraz, but a
shift towards earlier picking and less extractive
Pinot Noir winemaking (whole bunch, older, ➢
Winemaker Mike Garland of
Castelli Estate in Denmark
Six producers to watch
La Violetta
Frankland Estate
The Das Sakrileg (‘Sacrilege’) Riesling sums
up the maverick behind this garagiste label
with no vineyards or winery. Winemaker
Andrew Hoadley subverts Australia’s
technocratic tradition of highly protective
winemaking. Textural, spicy, mineral, sappily
fruited wines reveal clever use of skin contact,
oxidative handling, wild ferment and solids.
Shiraz especially sings. Vineyard sourcing for
his eclectic, idiosyncratic range is impeccable.
Inspired by visits to France, including two
vintages working at Bordeaux’s Château
Senejac, sheep farmers Barrie Smith and Judi
Cullam established Frankland Estate in 1988.
A site-specific approach swiftly put their
single-vineyard Rieslings on the map.
Organic and biodynamic viticulture and
minimal intervention in the winery have
further amplified terroir expression and
freshness for the estate which puts the
finesse into Frankland River. Mediumbodied, perfumed reds (especially the
Shiraz- and Cabernet Franc-dominated
Olmo’s Reward) are finely honed.
Burch Family Wines
Western Australia’s largest family-owned
and operated wine producer. A huge, very
polished range (more than 80 wines)
includes popular brand MadFish and
upmarket, 90% estate grown, terroir-driven
labels Howard Park and Marchand & Burch.
The partnership with Burgundy’s Pascal
Marchand produces among the region’s best
Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays.
Larry Cherubino
Since going his own way in 2005 following
stints for Hardys and Houghton, Cherubino
has been instrumental in raising Great
Southern’s profile. Screaming provenance,
Cherubino’s accomplished, very extensive
five-tier range abounds with sub-regional
and single-vineyard wines. Though focused
on classic regional strengths (Frankland
River Cabernet Sauvignons and Porongurup
Rieslings especially), the Laissez Faire Fiano
nods to Cherubino’s Italian heritage.
Plantagenet
Larry Cherubino
6 4 | A p r i l 2015 • D E C A N T E R
Though sizeable (60,000 cases including the
second Omrah label), Great Southern’s first
winery (1974) started out in a humble
apple-packing shed. Deploying Mount
Barker’s oldest vineyards to great effect
Plantagenet
(Bouverie, 1968 and Wyjup, 1971), it has an
enviable track record for ageworthy Shiraz,
Cabernet Sauvignon and Riesling. Recently
returned to Western Australia via New
Zealand, Cath Oates’ lighter touch with oak
enhances the range’s cool-climate credentials,
as does the all-new Juxtapose range which
includes an off-dry, textural Riesling.
Snake & Herring
Established in 2010, rising stars Tony Davis
(Snake) and Redmond Sweeney (Herring)
take ‘a very scalpel approach to the
vineyards and sourcing small parcels – a few
rows even – for small volume wines’, says
Davis. Good-value, sub-regionally
differentiated expressions of the same grape
have great drinkability. From the state’s
latest-picked grapes, The Distance Higher
Ground Cabernet Sauvignon demonstrates
that, in the right spot, Porongurup can make
finely-honed Cabernet Sauvignon.
Great southern
larger format oak) has reinforced their floral, spicy
cool-climate credentials. Albany’s mild, humid climate
is generally ill-suited to Shiraz. However, from the
Porongurup Range National Park’s eastern end,
30-year-old vines on Kalgan River vineyard’s leanest
ironstone gravels lend a distinctively bloody tang to
Willoughby Park’s brooding Kalgan Ironrock Shiraz.
For later ripener Cabernet Sauvignon, a dramatic
reduction in winter rainfall and consistently warmer
temperatures have improved its lot compared with
10 years ago, says Oates. Still, says Burch, ‘site is
super critical’, as are low-yielding old vines and the
Houghton clone; it’s rare for Howard Park’s
multi-regional flagship Abercrombie Cabernet to be
dominated by Great Southern fruit as it was in 2010.
Distinguishing it from its Margaret River blending
partner, Burch notes ‘Our Cabernets have more
lifted perfume, finer and more savoury fruit than
the comparatively sweet fruit of Margaret River and
lithe, sometimes sinewy, tannins.’
Where Cherubino feels ‘Great Southern’s quality,
diversity and value are just starting to be well
understood’, the surge in single-vineyard wines
certainly bears out his observation that ‘perhaps it
has more to offer than any other region because of
it size, varied climates and soils’. What’s more, the
trend fits with Olmo’s vision of wines ‘of the highest
possible quality’ which he foresaw would be ‘so
unique that imitation by other winegrowing
districts is impossible’. D
Above: Frankland Estate’s
30ha Isolation Ridge
vineyard, planted in 1988,
surrounds the winery and is
organically farmed
Sarah Ahmed is a
freelance wine writer who
specialises in the wines of
Australia and Portugal
Ahmed’s top 10 to try from Great Southern
Frankland Estate, Netley Road
Riesling, Frankland River 2012
19/20 (96/100)
£21 Berry Bros & Rudd, Woodwinters
A 1966-planted ironstone ridge
accounts for the gravelly minerality
of this aromatic, crisp, apple and
citrus bone dry Riesling. Leesageing lends richness and weight.
Drink 2015-2025 Alcohol 11%
Plantagenet, Museum Release, Riesling,
Mount Barker 2006 17 (90)
£17.99 Hawkshead Wines, Liberty Wines,
Mainly from the 1979-planted Dennis vineyard
in Mount Barker. Great cedar, blueberry and
cassis lift and concentration with savoury
balsamic notes. Sinewy tannins and firm
acidity give poise. Drink 2015-2030 Alc 14%
Frankland Estate, Olmo’s Reward, Frankland River 2010 18 (93)
£29 (2007) Deeside Drinks, Woodwinters
A fragrant Cabernet Franc-dominated
Bordeaux blend with fine tannins, great
delicacy and finesse to its floral and cigar
box-scented red and blackcurrant fruit.
Drink 2015-2020 Alc 14%
Prohibition Wine, Slurp
Though developing honey and petrol notes,
with great mineral acid drive, its lime and
lemon fruit remains well-focused. Very pure;
bone dry. Drink 2015-2020 Alc 12.5%
Snake & Herring, High & Dry Riesling,
Porongurup 2013 17 (90)
£15.99 Marks & Spencer
Late ripening 20-year-old vines produce
great flavour intensity. Bone dry, floral and
mineral, with lingering, ripe citrus and juicy
greengage fruit. Drink 2015-2020 Alc 12.5%
Howard Park, Abercrombie Cabernet
Sauvignon 2010 18.5 (95)
£43-£45 Exel Wines, Fine & Rare, Great Western
Wine, Olde World Wines
66 | A p r i l 2015 • D E C A N T E R
Harewood Estate, F Block Pinot
Noir, Denmark 2013 18 (93)
POA Eurowines
Fine, intense and structured with
forest floor undertones to its
pretty red fruits and delicious
mineral acidity; Burgundy clones.
Drink 2015-2020 Alc 13.5%
La Violetta, La Ciorna Shiraz
2008 18 (93)
£28.80 Bottle Apostle Kalgan River vineyard old-vine Shiraz with a
dash of Viognier. Cornas-like inky blackberry
and currant with savoury, peppery tannins
and a bloody, ironstone tang.
Drink 2015-2018 Alc 14%
Larry Cherubino, Ad Hoc Cruel
Mistress Pinot Noir 2013 17.5 (91)
£14.96-£15.95 Hawkshead Wines,
Slurp, Wine Direct
Complex with freshly dug beetroot
and forest floor nuances to its
supple milk chocolate-laced black
cherry and plum fruit. Long, with
fine tannins and lingering, mineral
acidity. Drink 2015-2017 Alc 13.5%
La Violetta, Up Shiraz, Mount Barker 2013
17.5 (91)
N/A UK www.laviolettawines.com.au
Whole bunch ferment brings black pepper
and floral lift to this single-vineyard Shiraz’s
fresh blackcurrant fruit. Chalky tannins and
fresh acidity emphasise frame and elegance. Drink 2015-2018 Alc 13.6%
Marchand & Burch, Mount
Barrow Pinot Noir, Mount Barker
2013 17.5 (91)
£17.50-£19.50 Field & Fawcett,
Vin Cognito
Silky, violet-scented red cherry,
five spice, cedar and fine tannins
make for a sensual Pinot with long
forest floor and mushroom notes.
Drink 2015-2017 Alc 13.5%
For full details of UK stockists, see p115