Western Australia
Western Australia
It's a bit of a misnomer labelling a wine region Western Australia, but 'Small Corner of South-West Western Australia' doesn't quite have the same ring to it. Western Australia is a vast state, the largest in Australia and bigger than Alaska and Texas combined. Most of it is empty, nearly all of it is barren, and there are parts of the state that have yet to be stepped on by human feet. The south-west coast, with its cool Indian and Southern Ocean breezes and adequate levels of rainfall, is in direct contrast to the rest of Western Australia and is the only place suitable for growing grapes. Margaret River is the most well-known of these and produces elegant, pure examples of Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, which are much different in style from the bolder wines produced in the eastern states. Other regions include Great Southern, Geographe, and the emerging, continental Blackwood Valley. Soils are varied between the regions, and other planted varieties include Riesling, Semillon, Merlot, Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc.
