Area under vines: 4250 ha (10,625 acres)

The Margaret River region strictly defined takes in the slopes of the low ridge that extends from Cape Naturaliste in the north to Cape Leeuwin at Western Australia’s extreme south western tip. The ridge comprises granitic and gneissic rocks over which laterite has formed. The vineyard soils are derived either from laterite or from the underlying country rock at lower levels in the valley’s and are found chiefly in the drainage basins of creeks and small rivers running north east or north into Geographe Bay, west to the Indian Ocean and south east into the lower reaches of the Blackwood River.

The area is greatly influenced by the maritime nature of the prevailing westerly and south westerly air stream. This region is unique, because it is the first point of contact, between Southern Africa across the Indian Ocean, and the Australian continent.

Developed commercially for vine growing at the same time as the Great Southern Region, the Margaret River region provides an interesting comparison. Whereas the Great Southern region has average month mean temperatures ranging from about the cooler limit of Bordeaux, down to only a little warmer from the Loire Valley, the established Margaret River and surrounding area in the central and north central parts of the region respectively are appreciably warmer during ripening, than the Medoc but similar to Pomerol and Saint Emilion. Sunshine hours during the growing season and ripening period are marginally more than in all Bordeaux areas and the Great Southern region, whilst relative humidities are intermediate and probably about optimal. Summer and ripening period rainfall totals are very low. Apart from too little summer rain for solely rain fed vines, these are conditions which in Bordeaux would typify a great year. They doubtless help to account for the intense flavour in red wines and the intensity of flavour and varietal character which are features of Margaret River wines. A notable feature of the Margaret River region as a whole has been the good adaptation of Bordeaux grape varieties.