Karl MyWinePal with Vasse Felix’s winemaker Virginia Willcock
Margaret River in Southwestern Australia is a geologically historic land that produces Chardonnay wines which have been compared to Burgundy in quality. I was fortunate to have a tasting in Vancouver with Vasse Felix‘s winemaker Virginia Willcock. Vasse Felix has been making wine in the Margaret River area since 1967, since the winery’s established by Dr. Thomas Brendan Cullity. Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec vines have been planted in the region since the 1850’s, own-rooted. Since 1987 Vasse Felix has been owned and operated by two generations of the private, family-owned company, Heytesbury.
On the label, there is a drawing of a Peregrine falcon they brought in and trained in 1973 which they use to protect from birds eating the ripening grapes. But the falcon flew off after its first flight over the vineyard. Peregrine falcons are native to Australia and there may be some protection from these birds, but not one that is owned and managed by the winery. The winery now uses nets to protect the grapes from birds.
The Geology of the Area Vasse Felix vineyard locations
There is a geological rift on Australia’s west coast and 4km inland you are 60-100m asl. It is a steep, but flat land with gravelly old ancient soils. The winter is rainy giving lots of cover crop growth, e.g. grasses, and then a dry summer, with the cover crop growth decomposing making a fertile topsoil underlain by gravels. Along the coast, there is
This Article was originally published on My Wine Pal