SkyWine Launch Offers
SkyWest $99 Dozen + FREE Hahn Premium Lager*
Skywest $149 Dozen + FREE Hahn Premium Lager*
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Why not try a taste of WA with the introductory Skywine offerings brought to you in partnership with Private Cellar Wine Club.
Tall Timber Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
Abbey View Geographe Shiraz 2006
Alexandra Bridge Chardonnay 2005
Black Rock Western Australia Classic Dry White 2006
Wine Regions of Western Australia
Australia's largest State spans the western third of the continent, although the winemaking regions are almost entirely
concentrated in the south-western portion of the State. These regions include the Swan District near the State capital
Perth and, further south, the regions of Peel, Geographe, Blackwood Valley, Pemberton, Manjimup, Great Southern and Margaret River.
Two decades ago, Margaret River was better known for the classic surf break lying not far from the junction of river and
sea but entrepreneurs have driven the development of vineyards and wineries that have overcome the State's geographic isolation
and carved their mark not just within Australia but around the world.
Margaret River
One of the most vibrant and popular wine destinations in Australia, the Margaret River has an exceptional range of restaurants,
accommodation and tourist activities. Initially regarded as a producer of powerful yet elegant Cabernet Sauvignon, the region
has since also forged a great reputation for its white wines notably Chardonnay and a Semillon Sauvignon Blanc blend.
Swan District
The Swan District predates both Victoria and South Australia in viticultural terms. For almost 150 years it was the only
significant wine-producing region in Western Australia and is today also home to the state's largest winery, Houghton.
Although the Swan district has a hot Mediterranean climate it is capable of producing full bodied white whites, particularly
with Chenin Blanc, Verdelho and Chardonnay.
Perth Hills
Viticulture has been practised intermittently in the picturesque Perth Hills amidst the Darling Ranges for over a century.
It is an area that is very different to the Swan District and is only 22 kilometres (14 miles) from Perth, making it easily
accessible to day trippers. Some of the best white wines from this region are Chardonnays, while the red wines such as Shiraz are,
as in other warm regions, generously fruity.
Pemberton
Named after and centred on the town of Pemberton, this richly timbered region was first planted experimentally in 1977,
with commercial vineyards following in 1982, and enjoyed rapid growth in the 1990s. The region is situated in the lower
south-west of Western Australia; west of the Great Southern and south-east of the Margaret River regions. Burgundian varieties
of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir tend to predominate as the grape of preference for winemakers here.
Peel
Peel lies between the Swan District and Perth Hills to the north, and Geographe to the south. The first commercial vineyard
was established with a planting of Shiraz by Will Nairn at the Peel Estate in 1974. While most other varieties have also now
been established, Shiraz remains the flagship variety for the region and Peel Estate its flagship producer.
Manjimup
Named after and centred on the town of Manjimup, the region is situated immediately north of the Pemberton region. The climate
is influenced by two oceans, the Indian and the Southern. It has some similarities to Margaret River, although at a higher
altitude it is more continental. Cold winters provide true vine dormancy, and plentiful spring rainfall promotes good budburst
and early growth. Chardonnays dwarf the production of other white varieties here, while Cabernet Savignon and Merlot dominate
the plantings of red grape varieties.
Great Southern
Skirting the south-west Australian coast for over 200 kilometres (125 miles) and pushing northwards back into the hinterland
almost 100 kilometres (60 miles), this is a very large region even by Australian standards. The climate of the northern areas
is similar to that of Bordeaux and tends to be slightly warmer on the higher sites. Careful site selection has allowed the
production of virtually every wine style from Riesling to Chardonnay, Pinot Noir to Cabernet Sauvignon.
Geographe
Geographe is a compact region unified by its warm to hot and mostly maritime climate. In this region, what might in other more
continental areas be considered excessively warm temperatures are modified by the prevailing south-west sea breezes coming off
the Indian Ocean. There are three quite distinct wine producing areas; the coastal sector between Bunbury and Busselton, the
Donnybrook area and the valley of the Ferguson River. In this latter area early success with Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz, Merlot
and Cabernet Sauvignon has led to a rapid expansion in plantings.
Blackwood Valley
This is the least known and one of the newest of Western Australia's wine regions. The first vineyard and winery, Blackwood Crest,
was established in 1976 in the north-eastern corner of the region. Recent expansion has seen the establishment of many more vineyards.
Chardonnay and Riesling predominate amongst the white varieties grown, while Cabernet Savignon is the most widely planted red.
Acknowledgement to Wine Australia
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