Western Australia is the largest of the eight administrative zones and territories of Australia. In 2020, it represented just two percent of the national wine production, but has previosly occupied up to 20 percent of the nation's fine wines.
Covering the entire western third of the vast island continent, "WA" (as it is commonly called) spans 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles) from east to west. This makes it the second-largest administrative subdivision of any country in the world – bigger than Alaska and Texas combined.
Western Australia
The giant flag at Voyager Estate, Margaret River
© Jonathan Reeve
The Western Australian wine regions are clustered in the state's cooler, coastal, Southwest corner. The Northeastern two-thirds of WA are too hot to support quality viticulture.
The northwest corner is the hottest area of Australia as a whole, with summer temperatures surpassing even those of the country's famous semi-desert "Red Centre". By contrast, the Climate of the southwest WA is relatively cool, tempered by the presence of the Indian Ocean to the west and the Antarctic Ocean to the south and east.
Although it rivals the Hunter Valley in terms of low latitude (lying at 33 degrees South), the climate around the state's southwest cape is more akin to that of Bordeaux, and the most successful Grape varieties here reflect this.
It is no coincidence, that many winemakers from this area aim for a more European wine style than their counterparts further north – or those from New South Wales and South Australia. Margaret River in particular, is renowned for its more-balanced, Elegant wines, which contrast with the Powerful, fruit-driven wines of the regions further east.
Geographically, the wine regions of Western Australia can be split into roughly three groups: those around the state capital, Perth (the Swan Valley, the Perth Hills and Peel); those along the south coast (from Pemberton in the west to Albany in the east); and those around the southern end of Geographe Bay (Margaret River and Geographe).
Petit Verdot noir is a grape variety that originated in France (southwest). It produces a variety of grape specially used for wine making. It is rare to find this grape to eat on our tables. This variety of grape is characterized by small bunches and small grapes. Petit Verdot noir can be found in several vineyards: South-West, Languedoc & Roussillon, Cognac, Bordeaux, Rhone valley, Provence & Corsica, Loire valley, Savoie & Bugey, Beaujolais, Armagnac.
wines from the region of South West Australia go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, lamb or poultry such as recipes of beef fillet in a crust, shish kebab or filet mignon in a quick crust.
On the nose in the region of South West Australia often reveals types of flavors of pineapple, dark fruit or jam and sometimes also flavors of kerosene, petroleum or lime zest. In the mouth in the region of South West Australia is a powerful with a nice freshness.
André Hugel was an 11th generation member of Famille Hugel, one of the region’s most influential and highly-regarded wine families. The Hugel family settled in the town of Riquewihr, located in the heart of Alsace, all the way back in 1639. André ran Famille Hugel along with his brothers, Jean and Georges, as it developed into one of the world’s top producers. It owns 30 hectares (ha) of prime plots in the Haut-Rhin area, half of which are classified as Grand Cru, and it buys grapes from a furth ...
The idea for the summit at this remote locale came from Josep Cusiné of Parés Baltà and Ignasi Segui of Vinyes Singulars as the church sits on a ridge (‘cim’ in Catalan) at 643m in altitude. It has an unparalleled 360-degree view which opens up on the plain of Penedès and out to the Mediterranean Sea, 25km in the distance. Starting in 2015, the first years were friendly, loose affairs and took place inside the church but interest from those in the region (as well with sommeliers and the regional ...
Getting the wines right over the holidays is arguably just as important as the feast. You want the right bottles to elevate the festivities and impress your guests, which is why this month’s Wine Club offering took some careful consideration. In the Decanter Wine Club holiday special, we, together with Wine Access, have curated a selection of appropriate wines that will take centre stage on your dining table. Both Everyday Excellence and Rare Luxuries have six impressive bottles that would make ...
