Take Off Interestingly, some wine producers from South Australia looked at possibly buying land in Margaret River in the 1970s and early 1980s. While researching material for Penfolds: The Rewards of Patience , I found correspondence and paperwork relating to the possible acquisition of land in the vicinity. Wolf Blass also famously investigated the region’s potential, after Cape Mentelle won the Jimmy Watson Trophy twice in a row. The region is, however, dominated by Western Australian family companies. That said, there is significant corporate interest in Margaret River, including LVMH’s acquisition of Cape Mentelle, and Treasury Wine Estate’s purchase of Devil’s Lair. Yalumba, no stranger to being involved in Western Australia – it established a winery in the Swan Valley during the 1930s – and Accolade Wines also produce Margaret River wines. The development of the region has been like a rolling stone. But it was during the 1980s that the fortunes of Margaret River Chardonnay In 1999 Dr John Gladstones proposed six sub-regions: Yallingup & Carbunup in the north, Wilyabrup and Treeton in the centre, Wallcliffe, which ribbons across the south, and Karridale in the far south. Vignerons and winemakers generally describe their vineyard locations in these terms. The well-draining soils derive primarily from granitic and gneissic ironstone, over which laterite has formed. Only 3% (6,000 hectares) of the 213,000 hectares of land that represent the Margaret River wine region is planted with vines. Around 46% is covered with native forest and the rest is mostly farmland and a few townships. Most of Margaret River’s vineyards lie on Forrest Grove type soils (with predominating iron stone gravels) or a combination of Forrest Grove and Mungite (sandy loams and gravels). The soils in Margaret River tend to merge, creating various transitional profiles and, as a consequence, vineyard sites all have their own individual characteristics. Vineyard elevations in the region range from around 3m to 140m. Most are found at elevations between 40m and 140m.
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The Vintage Journal – Regional Focus
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