expand all   collapse all

• Denmark Cellar Door
• The Great Southern
• Getting There

The Great Southern Winery & Region

“The Great Southern region is tucked down on the south-western tip of the continent, amid spectacular coastline, whales and ancient native forests.  It’s a long way away, but the kind of place you remember forever.”  Nick Stock

The Great Southern Region is notably the coolest vine growing region in Western Australia, its development as a wine growing region hindered by its remoteness until the 1960’s when Professor Harold Olmo acknowledged its potential. 

The Region

The Great Southern is large even by West Australian standards.  It stretches approximately 100 kilometers from north to south and 150 kilometers from east to west and encompasses five distinctively different sub-regions: Denmark, Albany, Mount Barker, Porongurups and Frankland River.

Each of these sub-regions has distinctive climatic, topographic and soil differences suited to a range of varietiess.  From the lush, forested coastal regions of Albany and Denmark to the largely untouched, undulating hills of the inland regions of Mount Barker, Porongurups and Frankland River, the region is a new frontier for the intrepid traveler and a distinctive and exciting region for the wine industry.  

Climate

The climate is maritime at the coast around Denmark and Albany with cool summer temperatures and high rainfall ideally suited to the earlier ripening varieties such as Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Merlot. As we move inland to Mount Barker and the Frankland River the climate takes on a pronounced continental character with warmer days and cooler nights. There is higher risk of frost but with greater sunshine hours these sub-regions suit Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz varieties.

Soil

The soil types tend to be leaner than at the coast with gravelly well-drained loams of moderate fertility and subsequent lower fruit yields.  The Porongurup ranges, a large ancient rocky outcrop jutting up from the surrounding farmlands, gives its name to a small sub-region of cool climate elevated vineyards that grow particularly fine Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon. The winters here are bitterly cold and the soils mean, ideal for the production of crisp, clean fruit for MadFish.