Western Australia

Wine-growing region (GI) in the federal state of Western Australia in Australia, it is part of the South West Australia zone. It stretches from the Margaret River in the north to the Great Southern area in the southeast. The region is also colloquially referred to as the “Karri Country”, a reference to the beautiful Karri forests (a type of eucalyptus tree) that cover 85% of the area. Viticulture was only established here in 1977, this is a young, up-and-coming region. The vineyard area totals 500 hectares. Most of the vineyards are located between the Donnelly River in the north and the Warren River, which runs through the centre of the region. The region has a warm maritime climate, with rainfall mainly in winter, so that irrigation is required during the summer months. The deep red soils of Karri clay are actually too fertile for vines, so that wine producers are obliged to perform a rigorous green harvest. The most important red varieties planted are Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz, the leading white varieties are Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and Verdelho. Well-known producers include Chestnut Grove, Picardy, Salitage and Smithbrook.