Great Southern
Great Southern
A large Australian region running along the south coast of Western Australia, the coastal parts of Great Southern are some of the wettest, coolest areas in Australia which put it at great odds with the interior part of the state. The firm influence of the Antarctic-fed Southern Ocean and the exposure to the buffeting westerly trade winds produce these climatic conditions, and the maritime cool-climate wine styles are more European than typical Australian. Further inland, the region is demarcated by rivers that help with irrigation and cool the hotter areas. Soils are a mixture of sandy loams, granite and loess, much like Margaret River to the north-east, but as can be expected are variable across the expanse of a region of this size. Cool-climate varieties prosper, and Riesling is a particular speciality with a flinty, citrus note coupled with refreshing acidity. Savoury Pinot Noir and aromatic Sauvignon Blanc have also found a home alongside the usual Australian mainstays of Chardonnay, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon.
