the Boodjidup Brook’s strong-flowing and meandering channels, especially in winter, to form the series of rolling hills and various slopes of the Leeuwin Vineyards. Conservation of the Boodjidup Creek is a key focus of the Estate’s sustainability management programme. The thick stands of giant karri (Eucalyptus diversicolour), marri (Corymbia calophylla) and peppermint (Agonis flexulosa) trees are an important feature of the Estate’s biodiversity, as are the rare freshwater fish that lie in their shadows during summer. The deeply weathered soils are derived from decomposed Precambrian granite gneiss and lateritic gravelly alluvium. The free- draining surface soils are typically red-brown gravelly sandy loam to sandy clay loams peppered with lateritic pisolites. Soil clay content increases further down the profile. At around 1.5–2 metres’ depth, the soils are predominantly red-brown medium clays. These are some of the finest soils anywhere in the world to grow wine grapevines. Vineyard Plantings Leeuwin Estate’s original vineyards, comprising mostly chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon and riesling, were planted between 1975 and 1978. According to David Winstanley, these vineyards remain the backbone of the Art Series wines. New chardonnay blocks were established in 1996 and 1997, followed by more plantings in 2016, 2017 (East Hill Vineyard), 2019 (Henry’s Vineyard) and 2021 (Helicopter Hill and Airstrip West Vineyards). All of these sites, on low to mid slopes, were selected after extensive soil sampling. Vineyard planning is matched to the variations of lateritic and granitic soil profiles. The Gingin clone, ‘cut and grown from Block 20’, continues to anchor Leeuwin Estate’s chardonnay story. Houghton selection cabernet sauvignon is also extensively planted. Propagated cuttings from the 1976 Block 9 Vineyard, as well as clones H5 and H20 from this selection, form the foundation of Leeuwin Estate’s cabernet sauvignon vineyards. New plantings of French clone 337, renowned for its richness of flavour and softer tannin profile, reveal an ambition to further improve the Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon style. Further south, Leeuwin Estate planted its first shiraz vines at Peppy Park, near Karridale, in 1997. The ‘slightly inland’ vineyard is planted with ‘original’ WA clone, 470 and Waldron. The warmer days and cooler nights foster the development of very good flavour profiles, tannin development and acid balance.
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The Vintage Journal – Great Estates Series
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