Wineries
With 200 wine producers to explore, most of which are boutique, family-run businesses, Margaret River is unique in Australia. Let’s explore the wineries together.
Vasse Felix planted the first vines here in 1967 and the region has grown into a modern-day classic. Thanks to its isolation, however, Margaret River wineries are mostly small, family-run operations focused on quality and sustainability.
With these conditions, the wineries of Margaret River continue to dominate the Australian wine landscape in terms of quality and ageability.
Margaret River Winery Facts
- There are 200 wine producers in Margaret River.
- 60% of wineries produce less than 4,000 cases yearly (that’s not much!)
- Margaret River accounts for only 2% of all the wine in Australia.
- 20% of the fine wine in Australia comes from Margaret River.
- The majority of wineries are family-run and owned.
Selected Margaret River Wineries
Passel Estate is a very small, family-owned vineyard in the heart of Margaret River, renowned for its award-winning single vineyard wines and commitment to sustainable winegrowing and nature conservation. It is a place of Provenance, Discovery and Sanctuary. The wines are a unique expression of the special place that is Passel Estate, defined by their perfumed fruit character, structure and balance. Passel Estate wines are a rare discovery; volumes made are small, given the quality-driven low yields and single vineyard focus. Passel Estate’s range includes the very limited release Lot 71 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and Lot 71 Reserve Syrah, made from select parcels of hand harvested fruit, with extended barrel maturation in the finest French oak. Approximately 10ha of native bushland on the property is reserved for conservation. With the vineyard so close to native bush, it is necessary to net the vines (after veraison and through to harvest) so as to protect fruit from bird damage, as well as hungry kangaroos. The name Passel Estate pays tribute to a family (or Passel) of endangered Western Ringtail Possums that was relocated to the property’s bushland sanctuary after being badly burned in the 2011 Margaret River bushfires. The owners continue to support and provide sanctuary to rare and threatened native fauna, which (in addition to the Western Ringtail Possum) includes Quendas, Phascogales and White and Red Tailed Black Cockatoos, and visitors can book a guided Nature & Wine Walk through the pristine bushland reserve adjacent to the Tasting Room. Passel Estate is a certified member of Sustainable Winegrowing Australia.
