Food & Drink
DOING THE CONTINENTAL The Geographe wine region is home to 57 growers, 26 producers and 36 different grape - a quite remarkable diversity in such a contained area.Opposite, Willo Bridge Estate wines.
Naturaliste, in 1801. The wine region wraps around the bay, extending from Harvey in the north, southwards through Capel to Busselton and eastwards to encompass Donnybrook and Ferguson Valley. Home to 57 growers, 26 producers and 36 different grape varieties, Geographe is the most diverse wine region in Western Australia.
The French Connection There’s a definite Gallic influence in the Geographe Wine region, and not just because it was named after a French explorer. Fergal Gleeson discovers more.
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FOUND | spring • summer 2020/21
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ith a strong tradition of discovery, the Geographe Wine region takes its name from Geographe Bay. The bay was named by French explorer Nicholas Baudin, who first mapped the coastline with his two ships, the Geographe and the
The Wine Show That French connection is remembered at the Geographe & WA Alternative Wine Show each year with the Nicholas Baudin Trophy for Excellence in Winemaking. This trophy is based on the accumulated medal scores for Geographe wines entered into three categories. Previous winners have been Peter Stanlake (who makes wine for a variety of small wineries including Talisman Wines and Fifth Estate), Kim Horton & Dougal Herd (Willow Bridge) and Stuart Pierce, (Harvey River Estate) who is also a previous Jimmy Watson winner (arguably Australia’s most prestigious prize for a red wine). The 2019 winner was Damien Hutton, of Millbrook Winery which uses Geographe fruit, though, sorry to say visitors, the winery and cellar door are visitbunburygeographe.com.au
