The Swan Valley's reliably warm, dry climate is ideal for the production of some of the country's best verdelho, shiraz and cabernet varieties. This environment is perfect for the exta ripening and high sugar levels required to produce liqueur verdelho and liqueur shiraz - both rarely made outside the Swan Valley.
In recent years, an influx of young, innovative winemakers, along with a thoroughly modern arsenal of winemaking technology and equipment, has seen the Valley's table wines develop an added finesse. The new influence has seen a coming-of-age in terms of style and sophistication among Swan Valley winemakers.
Verdelho
Dry, aromatic, fruit-driven Verdelho has become a trademark of the Swan Valley, where it is sometimes turned into a liqueur but is more typically used in unwooded styles exhibiting spicy lavender hints with guava and melon aromas.
Chenin Blanc
Chenin excels in the warm climate of the Swan Valley, developing ripe fruit flavours, high natural acid levels and an ability to age in the bottle.
Chardonnay
In the warmth of the Swan Valley, wooded Chardonnay develops ripe stone-fruit and tropical fruit characters with a subtle, nutty complexity. Unwooded styles exhibit a zippy acidity and hints of grapefruit.
Shiraz
Swan Valley Shiraz is generously flavoured with immense depth and structure, ripe plum characters and soft, silky tannins. Many Valley producers use Shiraz for the production of vintage port and liqueurs.
Rosé
A name given to any wine made with red grapes having very little skin contact, resulting in a food-friendly, easy-drinking style with an attractive pale pink hue and minimal tannins.
Cabernet Sauvignon
Like Shiraz, this variety benefits from the warm Swan Valley climate, producing wines with ripe blackcurrant characters and soft, yet substantial, tannins.
Fortified
Fortified wine was the backbone of the Swan Valley for over four generations. After a dramatic shift to table wine in the early 1970s, there is once again an increasing demand for ports and liqueurs. The Valley’s rare and luscious Fortified wines are among the world’s finest.
To find more information about Swan Valley wineries, please follow the link below to the Swan Valley Food and Wine Trail page. For a comprehensive list of wineries and their varietals, please contact the Swan Valley Visitor Centre to obtain a copy of the Swan Valley Food and Wine Trail Guide.
