Thc Pull of Thc Rivcr
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Thc pull of thc Rivcr Margaret River's world-class Bordeaux blends don't come cheap, but offer delightful finesse and quenching freshness, says Ch'ng Poh Tiong. Author of the annual Margaret River Report, he explains his attraction to the region and examines the issue of sub-regionality Ch'ng Poh Tiong Decanter magazine September 201 3 Circulation: 45,000 Reprociuced by Sara Muirheaci aor iniernal review purposes only. The contents oi the publication from which the above extract has been taken are sub.iect to copyright. Any use ot publlc3tion for commefcial means requires a copyright licgnce or the copyright orJneis pe.missicn. MARGARET RIVER MY FIRST TRIP to Margaret River was at the end of from that part of Western Australia have passed the 1970s. At that time my parents were considering through Singapore. The two-way traffic has allowed emigrating to Australia and they had a house in me to stay in touch with the people and their wines Lesmurdie, 20km east of Perth. After visiting them Then, two years ago, I had dinner with the man there, I took off to Margaret River - this was in an credited with identifying Margaret River as a cooier era when there was a mere handful of wineries. climate for growing fine wine. Dr John Gladstones I met mother and daughter winemakers Di and - also a world authority on lupins - had in 1965 Vanya Cullen, top grower Erl Happ and, although I published a report on the potential for fine wine in cannot be absolutely certain of it, Tom Cullity, southwestern Australia. At the Perth restaurant, he founder of Vasse Felix. Down the years I've revisited expanded on his original vision: 'It was little more Margaret River and, just as importantly, vignerons than a gut feeling at first. Part of the reason was the presence of well-drained ironstone gravel soils Below: Credaro Family Estate owns eight vineyards carrying healthy dominant marri [trees], which had spread across Margaret River's unofficial sub-regions long been regarded in Western Australia as an > A/Tn rrag(lr\/L rol- lVl..al L) Kiver at a grancet Location 280km south of Perth, Australia Area 3,000km'z Area under vine 5,5O0ha Producers 120, most boutique size, crushing 30,000- 70,000h1 lmportance The region contributes only 3% of Australia's wine grapes, but commands 20% of the premium market Grapes Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Shiraz, Merlot, Chenin Blanc Ch'ng Poh Tiong and Verdelho sub-legions None. ln 1999, Dr John Decanter magazine Gladstones suggested six: Yailtnqup, Larounup, September 201 3 Wilyabrup, Treeton, Circulation: 45,000 Wallcliffe. Karridale Reproduced by Sara Muirhead for internal review pu.poses only. The eontents of the publication frofi which the above extract has been taken are subject to copyright. Any use or publication for eommercial means requires a copyright licence or the copyright o!,rner's permission. Ch'ng Poh Tiong Decanter magazine September 2O13 Circulation: 45,000 indication of prime vineyard soils. Memories also followed by a three-hour drive to Margaret River came back of summer stone fruits at Augusta, (and there is no time difference between Western produced locally on an orchard at Alexandra Bridge Australia and Singapore). Then there's the spectacular [near I(arridale]. If stone fruits, why not grapes?' scenery of vineyards, native bush, majestic karri We are too close to history to fully appreciate the trees, breathtaking coastline and good coffee. Most significance of Gladstones' seminal work (The Margaret River wineries are owner-managed - the Cl im ate a n d Soils of S outh-W e st e r n Au st r alia in same people often also making or directing the Relation to Vine Growing). For me, his report is wines. There's a nice rhythm about the place and I equivalent to the Dutch draining the marshes of like the fact that, in general, the people are not full the M6doc in the 1 7th century; the Cistercian of themselves. monks at Clos de Vougeot mapping the lieux-dits of Don't for a moment, however, doubt their their legendary vineyard in the Cdte d'Or; or the seriousness of purpose. 'Many pioneers of the 1855 Classification of the wines of the M6doc Australian wine lndustry were doctors, and the specifically, and of Bordeaux generally. tradition is particularly strong in Margaret River, where the founding vineyards - Vasse Felix, Cullen Why Margaret Riven? and Moss Wood - were all established by doctors,' Some 1 5 years ago, I decided to concentrate on the says Peter Thompson, a cardiologist and university wines of Bordeaux and, accordingly, in 2000 professor, founder of Thompson Estate and former I launched the Chinese Bordeaux Guide. I don't recall co-owner of Pierro Vineyards. '1 had a close the exact year of my first visit to the area, but since relationship with each of their founders. Dr Tom 1999 I have visited Bordeaux four or five times Cullity [of Vasse Felix] was a cardiologist and one of annually in connection with my guide. Then, in late my teachers. I worked lvith Dr I(evin Cullen, and 2012, I added another focus to my wine career. It was in the same class in school as Dr Bill Pannell seemed logical to stay with Cabernet blends. This [of Moss Wood].' does not mean that I don't admire the other wines He continues: 'What drove my involvement in the of the world - merely that, professionally, lt helps wine industry was similar to what drove these me to maintain an eagle-eyed focus. medical people, I imagine. Both professions require If I needed other compelling reasons to home in a basic knowledge of biochemistry and microbiology, on Margaret River, they weren't hard to find. an obsessive attention to detail and a striving to Singapore to Perth is only about a five-hour flight, improve. Making premium wine presents similar challenges, but encourages a creative streak and an Below: Dr Tom Cullity with the filst Riesling at his property element o{ risk-takingwhich would be unacceptable Vasse Felix, the region's founding commercial vineyard in medicine.' o1020 kilometres Geographe .'/ Margaret River ---l'Bay proposed sub-regions Bussel i'-O Busselton e Hlshway/ i Treeton .0 I Yallingup 4 qJ 2 Carbunup 5 Wallcliffe U o 5 Wilyabrup 6 Karridale .o -o WESTERN AUSTRALIA Western Australia Prevelly \.,, perth official wine regions ,9,'- I l4arqaret River e v- o O i 2 Great Southern o 1i.. e WESTERN E e \ nusrRALrA i N Margaret River z(v Franklin ! z Cape ) .9 Leeuwin - Southern Ocean : :ii Repi-oduced by Sara ivlii;ihead for internai ,"u;"* purpor", o,-,ty. The conteiiis of the publication from which the above exttact has been taken are subject to copyright. Any use o!' publieation for commercial means requires a copyright licence or the copyright owner's permission- Ch'ng Poh Tiong fYlIt AA l{lrAFrt- I lJ>hFF i lJtl,lRit tFRF l* Decanter magazine September 2013 Circulation: 45,000 Above: Dr John Gladstones drew international attention to the region's favourable conditions fol fine-wine production in 1965 Left: harvesting at dawn - before the heat of the day affects both workers and the grapes - at Vasse Felix I adore wines that have a bristling competition - climate, temperatures and proximity to the ocean 'Like most of between fruit, freshness and structure. On the - is very close to Bordeaux,'he says. 'The next other hand, big wines, big alcohol, a big piece of condition is the soil. We have a lot of red gravelly the people who meat - anything big for its own sake - is as tiresome loam over clay, which provides good drainage. At as a person in love with himself. the same time, the clay helps keep the moisture produce them, Mercl{ully, Margaret River wines are nothing when that's needed.' lihe that. Instead, lil<e most of the people who Cartwright believes clones to be the third Margjaret produce them, they strive for elegance, finesse and lmportant criterion. In this regard, the two quenching freshness. Most people here belleve that domlnant Cabernet Sauvignon clones are the River wines shape is more important than size, perslstence more Houghton clone (from the Swan Valley winery that precious than power, and go for balance rather than was established in 1836) and Clone 126 from the strive for blast. As for price competitiveness between Barossa Valley. According to Cartwright, both are Margaret River and other Australian Cabernet quite similar, but with the Houghton clone elep;ance, blends, while Margaret River versions are hard to exhibiting perhaps a more vegetal characteristic. come by at the lower end of the price spectrum, the Fortunately for Margaret River, Cartwright finesse and top and very good wines are no more expensive continues to worl< as a consultant (as engaged with quenching than the likes of Penfolds' multi-regionalBin 707 the vineyards as he is in the winemaking), Cabernet Sauvignon, Wolf Blass South Australia including as chief winemaker at Thompson Estate. Blacl< Label, Penfolds' Bin 169 Coonawarra Cabernet freshness' Sauvignon, and other offerings from Coonawarra. Drilling down One man who has long possessed a deep For some time now, some winegrowers have not understanding of Margaret River is the veteran been content to refer to their Cabernet blends as winemal<er Bob Cartwright, who between 19ZB and being merely from Margaret River. They also 2005 rolled out 2B vintages at Leeuwin Estate. In proudly pinpoint in which sub-region their wines spite of his expertise, when asked to enumerate the are grown. The subject is an emotive one.