Brocksopp, Cartwright and Atwood Meanwhile viticulturalist John Brocksopp and winemaker Bob Cartwright, inspired by Robert Mondavi and the Horgans’ ambition, created a technical vision for Leeuwin Estate. Their dedication to quality worked from the ground up and set standards and ways of working that are still respected by their successors today. John Brocksopp brought in a particularly creative form of viticulture. Although technically trained at Roseworthy Agricultural College, he saw grape growing as a quest for identity. He once reflected, ‘We grow individual grapes for individual wines. Fundamentally we are against homogenised and prescriptive recommendations of scientists. We seek to find and promote what is individual in our vineyards and our wines.’ John Brocksopp was way before his time as a viticulturalist. His approach to grape growing was rare. His approach and influence foreshadowed the shift towards sustainability, environmentalism and regenerative viticulture. His excitement and joy for the land are memorable. I remember him saying to me, in wonder, ‘The soils here are older than Japan! Can you imagine that?’ Prior to his appointment as winemaker at Leeuwin Estate, Bob Cartwright is believed to have made the first Western Australian chardonnay in 1974. The fruit derived from Gingin clone chardonnay vines was vinified in a 44-gallon drum at Valencia Wines at Caversham in the Swan Valley. At the time there were no small stainless steel containers or barriques and no refrigeration. Leeuwin Estate’s Gingin cuttings were sourced from Moondah Brook Vineyard and planted in 1975. The first crop was harvested in 1979 and used as a sparkling base wine. Bob Cartwright played a defining role and supervised the estate’s crush from 19 tonnes to around 1,200 tonnes. He established the Arts Series Chardonnay as a reference style and brought Leeuwin Estate into sharp focus as Western Australia’s marquee wine estate. After Bob Cartwright’s retirement in 2005, his deputy of eight years took over as senior winemaker and continued to build on his legacy. Under Paul Atwood’s custodianship, the Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon style was improved by refining the tannin profiles and oak maturation. This was aided by more investment in vineyard
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The Vintage Journal – Great Estates Series
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