The Swan Valley's Mediterranean-style climate allows winemakers to grow and produce a remarkably wide range of wine styles, from sparkling through to fortified. Very few wine regions can achieve this level of diversity.
Sparkling wines have long been the favoured drink to celebrate any occasion. Making sparkling wine in the traditional Methode Champenoise, the same method that produces champagne in France, is labour intensive but well worth the extra effort.
In the Swan Valley, delicious and creamy sparkling wines are produced from traditional varieties such as Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and Shiraz.
Given its superstar status in the Swan Valley, Chenin Blanc is the most widely-planted white grape variety.
Annually, the Region crushes around a third of Australia’s Chenin Blanc. And what a versatile fruit it is, making wines from sparkling through to still, crisp and dry through to luscious and sweet.
This sun-loving varietal, with its delicate floral aromas, apple-like flavours and zingy acidity, is ideal to serve with seafood.
Verdelho thrives in the climate of the Swan Valley.
The varietal is crisp and dry with tropical notes and is great with or without food.
Picked when it achieves the perfect balance between its natural, delicate acidity and fresh, aromatic fruit flavours, Verdelho's rich honeysuckle flavours are allowed free rein, without the influence of new oak.
World-renowned Master of Wine, Jancis Robinson believes the Swan Valley makes the best Verdelho in the world.
Rosé can typically be made from Grenache, Tempranillo or Shiraz, however many newly-emerging varietals are now also being used.
Its distinctive pink colour varies in depth depending on the length of time it is kept in contact with the skin of red grapes.
The wine is light in style, fresh, floral and perfectly suited to the Western Australian climate and lifestyle.
First planted in the Swan Valley in the 1860s, Grenache has been under vine ever since.
Historically, local winemakers used it to produce world-class fortified-style wines. Now they’re exploring Grenache’s other side, creating luscious lighter wines such as Rosé and dry red styles.
With Grenache, less is more – the lower the yield, the better the wine. Between the Swan Valley’s rocky, tough, shallow soil, warm climate and old vines (the average vine age is 35 years plus, however it is not uncommon to find pockets of vines in excess of 60 years old), Grenache naturally receives the tough love that brings out its best.
The Swan Valley produces warm climate Shiraz to rival some of the best-known regions in Australia.
The Valley’s gravelly soil naturally controls the vine’s vigour, while warm summer days tempered by cool ocean breezes allow the grapes to always ripen to perfection. The resulting fruit produces plush, medium- to full-bodied wines full of delicious dark fruit flavours.
The quality of the fruit also allows winemakers to test their long game; to create wines that are great now but have the ability to become even greater with time.
The use of new and old oak adds greater complexity and depth.
The Swan Valley is renowned for producing world-class fortified wines that can take decades to make.
Equally timeless is the production style; third generation winemakers are still using the same techniques and vines as their grandparents.
Fruit is left on the vines for extended ripening in the summer sun. The berries are semi-dried which concentrates the grape sugars and flavours.
The term ‘Fortified’ refers to the addition of a small amount of brandy to strengthen the partly-fermented wine, which is then left to mature in oak barrels.
Some of the luscious fortified wines you will find in the Swan Valley are Pedro Ximenes, Muscadelle, Liqueur Shiraz and Liqueur Verdelho.
Many new wine varietals are now being planted in the Swan Valley, with the predominantly Mediterranean varieties being perfectly suited to our local climate, way of life and the foods we like to eat.
A few of these exciting new varietals are :
Touriga Nacional - Origin: Portugal
Montepulciano - Origin: Abruzzo, Italy
Nero d'Avola - Origin: Sicily, Italy
Fiano - Origin: Campania, Italy
Mencia - Origin: Spain
Barbera - Origin: Piedmont, Italy
Arinto - Origin: Portugal
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