Overview

These days, the Margaret River region, 280 km south of Perth in Western Australia, is well known for its fine wines, gourmet foods, original art and, of course, pristine beaches. Both local and international tourists come to sample the scenery and the produce, in particular the unique wines. Many of these wines are exported to discerning consumers worldwide and can now be found in restaurants from London to Melbourne, Sydney to New York. So it is hard to believe that, only thirty years ago, Margaret River was little more than a surfing destination. There were no vineyards and few tourists.

Perth is one of the world s most isolated cities, and in 1967, establishing a vineyard in a remote region to the south seemed a daring step into the unknown. However, this did not stop Dr Tom Cullity, the forward-thinking founder of Vasse Felix who, trusting in some preliminary viticultural research, planted the region s first grapevines. Despite a general lack of grape-growing and wine-making experience, Shiraz, Cabernet and Riesling grape varieties rose steadily from gravelly, loamy soils into a climate that would later allow them to flourish. The pioneers of this region were nurturing what would, in years to come, become the nucleus for some of the region s benchmark wines, and a world-renowned tourist destination.

A winery was built alongside the vines in 1971, and Vasse Felix released its first vintage. These first Margaret River wines were introduced to the public through cellar door sales and...