50 Facts About Western Australian Wines for #WADay

As most of you know, I’m not a born and breed Perthian. I’ve been in WA since 2012 and I just can’t seem to bring myself to leave. There’s the fantastic weather (which we all have to admit isn’t bad, even in winter), there’s the vibrant, beautiful city on the banks of the Swan River and then there’s the wine. Oh the wine!

It’s Perth’s wine scene that turned a 2-week stopover into a 4 year stay for me and Mr. Spittoon. Western Australia has one of the closest wine regions to a major city in the world (the Swan Valley – which we now live in!), it is home to the world-renowned Margaret River wine region and that’s only touching on the surface of what WA has got to offer wine lovers.

Therefore to celebrate WA Day this year I wanted to do a tribute to the wines of Western Australia. Sit back, crack a bottle of local wine and enjoy!

1. There are 9 fine wine regions in WA (Swan Valley, Perth Hills, Peel, Geographe, Margaret River, Blackwood Valley, Manjimup, Pemberton & the Great Southern)
   Image sourced via Wines of Western Australia 

2. Six of the nine fine wine regions of WA are located in Australia’s South West
3. There are over 350 wine producers in WA
4. There is approximately 10,500 hectares (or 26,000 acres) under vine in WA
5. The WA Department of Agriculture and Food alongside the Western Australian Vine Improvement Association has imported more than 60 new varieties and clones of wine grapes since 1998
6. 18 alternative varieties have been identified by the above official bodies to be suitable for wine production tests in Manjimup (these varieties include; Arneis, Scheurebe, Vermentino, Tannat, Harslevelu, Kadarka, Brachetto, Gamay, Fer, Viognier, Tempranillo, Savagnin Blanc, Lagrein, Barbera, Saperavi,Furmint, Pinot Gris and Durif) 
7. The DAFWA and The University of Western Australia have created a Smoke Taint Risk Calculator to predict the smoke-related characteristics of a wine in accordance to the vineyards closest weather station
8. The Wine Industry Association of Western Australia was established in 1983 in the aim to set standards for wine producers and to aid promotion of the local tipples
9. Western Australia exports about 12% of its wines to more than 60 countries, mainly China, UK, Hong Kong and USA
10. WA contributes to only 5% of Australia’s overall wine production, yet…
11. Contributes 20% to Australia’s premium wine market! Quality over quantity baby
12. There are over 100 cellar doors in the Margaret River region
13. Margaret River is known throughout the world for top end Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon
14. The first winery and grape vines planted in the Margaret River were by Dr Tom Cullity in 1967
15. There is such a thing as a skydiving and wine package
16. The Swan Valley is WA’s oldest wine region which was established in 1829
17. The oldest winery in WA is Olive Farm Wines which was established by English Botanist Thomas Waters back in 1829
18. The Swan Valley is the hottest and driest wine region in Australia and in the world
19. Tyler’s Vineyard only grow Grenache and they make a blush sparkling, white, rose, red and fortified from it
20. The Mann family in the Swan Valley patented the Cygne Blanc grape varietal
21. The Swan Valley is a mere 25 minute drive from the Perth CBD
22. Jane Brook Estate in the Swan Valley produces sparkling wines made from Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc which have 23-carat West Australian gold leaf in
23. Pandemonium Estate is one of the few producers in Western Australia making wine from the white grape Savignan
24. The Swan Valley is associated with world-class fortified wines and is definitely making a name for themselves with wines made of Verdelho and Shiraz
25. Providore in the Swan Valley offer a wine and chocolate masterclass
26. The Great Southern is Australia’s largest wine region spanning a 200 x 100 kilometre area
27. The Great Southern is made up of 5 subregions: the Porongurups, Mount Barker, Albany, Denmark, and Frankland River
28. The Great Southern is the coolest of WA’s wine regions with a similar Martine influenced Mediterranean climate as the Margaret River region but with less rainfall
29. The Geographe wine region has approximately 1,200 hectares of grape vines which date back to the 1970s
30. The Geographe is becoming well-known for wines made of Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Shiraz
31. The Geographe is made up of 4 subregions; Harvey, Ferguson Valley, Donnybrook and Capel
32. The Barton Jones cellar door in the Geographe is made of straw
33. Stand out varieties in the Perth Hills include Shiraz and Viognier
34. The Perth Hills was officially named as a WA wine region in 1999
35. Hainaut Vineyard in the Perth Hills is the highest vineyard in WA at 400 metres above sea level
36. MyattsField in the Perth Hills were the first to plant and make wine from the red grape Durif
37. MyattsField also sell wine sorbet at the cellar door – definitely worth a try!
38. Vineyards were established in the Peel wine region in the 1850s by Italian immigrants
39. There are over 200 hectares of vines in the Peel region
40. The Blackwood Valley wine region is named after the Blackwood River which is the longest continually flowing river in Western Australia
41. The first vines were planted in the Blackwood Vallet region in 1976 by Max Fairbrass
42. There are approximately 50 vineyards in the Blackwood Valley region and 19 wine producers
43. The boundaries for the Manjimup and Pemberton wine regions were made official in 2005
44. Manjimup’s climate is said to be similar to Bordeaux in France
45. The Pemberton wine region is home to over 50 vineyards and cellar doors
46. Pemberton is one of Australia’s youngest wine regions being made official in 2006
47. Pemberton produces some amazing Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blancs
48. Whicher Ridge, located in Chapman Hill produce wines from grapes grown in the Geographe, Great Southern and Margaret River PLUS they have a one of a kind Wine Sensory Garden!
49. Vine Collective is an exclusive online wine retailer for boutique WA wines
50. Western Australian wines are awesome – FACT!

So there you have it wine lovers – hopefully you learnt a thing or two and are looking forward to drinking local this coming WA Day! Feel free to leave a comment below with any other unique and interesting facts you know about Western Australian wines.