World of Wine in the Valley

IMAGE Keven Osborne/Fox Fotos

The Swan Valley is as rich in viticultural history as it is in its fertile soils. It is almost 200 years since the first grapevines were planted in WA’s oldest and Australia’s second oldest wine growing region and that longevity is reflected in the variety of wines on offer.

By DANIELLE COSTLEY

IT ALL BEGAN with an influx of southern Europeans who settled in the region and drew on their winemaking expertise to create what is now a flourishing wine region. They saw the potential of its nutrientrich soils, sun-drenched vales and warm Mediterranean climate to provide ideal growing conditions for grapevines akin to what they had planted in their own countries.

While the original plantings can be traced back to South African origins, over the years, as the Swan Valley has evolved, so too has the range of varietals that are now firmly entrenched in the region’s rich soils.

Today, the Swan Valley has earned an enviable reputation for producing some of the nation’s best Chenin Blancs. In fact, it is now crushing around one-third of Australia’s Chenin Blanc production. Verdelho, Shiraz, Grenache and Muscadelle are other regional stars that are also thriving in the region’s balmy climate.

CHENIN BLANC The rising popularity of Chenin Blanc is seeing wineries experimenting with it as a sparkling, dry, sweet and even a dessert style of wine. Its crisp freshness and intensity of flavour make Chenin Blanc an ideal pairing with seafood, chicken and a fruity summer salad.

One winery that is drawing national acclaim for its Chenin Blancs is John Kosovich Wines. The first grapevines at this winery were planted by Jack Kosovich, after emigrating from Croatia back in 1922. It’s still a family affair; his son John in 2020 completed his 68th vintage, making him one of the longest serving winemakers in Australia. Since taking the reins, John’s son Arch has forged a reputation for honest, quality fruit-driven wines that consistently impress.

This small family-owned winery handpicks the grapes to produce a dry style of wine that allows the fine acidity

and fruit flavours to dominate in this wine that is left to age for up to six years in a bottle. This lengthy maturation allows the wine’s fresh apple flavours to transform majestically into a deliciously toasty and limey wine that reveals itself in enticing, textural layers.

While many wineries in this region are producing a similar style of Chenin Blanc, Sittella Winery is producing a Sparkling Chenin Blanc in the traditional methode champenois style. This sparkling little number also happens to be one of the state’s best-selling sparkling wines.

VERDELHO While Chenin Blanc is the most widely planted white grape variety in the region, Verdelho is also well-suited to the climatic conditions experienced here. Most wineries here produce it in its traditional manner, where its high acidity, oily texture and tropical fruit notes are fully expressed.

As Faber Vineyard’s flagship wine, the

WORLD-CLASS

WINES John Kosovich Wines, Olive Farm Wines, Garbin Estate Wines and Riverbank Estate are all awardwinning wineries.

Verdelho is made from cold-fermented and freshly pressed free-run juice – and is designed to allow its flavours to develop over time.

Riverbank Estate’s Verdelho displays Granny Smith apple flavours that meld harmoniously with poached pear and cut straw. This dry style Chenin Blanc can be enjoyed now or allowed to cellar for several years, where its rich, toasty characters will develop.

The Garbin Estate Wines Verdelho has been produced to be enjoyed while it’s youthful and the flavours are vibrantly crisp and fresh, with excellent acidity.

At Talijancich Wines, the Verdelho is made in a full-bodied, fruity and concentrated style with fine acidity and perfect balance. Extended lees contact without oak gives the Verdelho greater texture and complexity, and, if allowed to age, the wine will develop with a rich complexity that leads into a smooth and persistent finish. The winery also produces a Liqueur Verdelho that is aged in exbrandy casks for five years, imparting distinct apricot and honey notes.

OTHER VARIETALS Other popular varieties in the Valley are Shiraz, Grenache, Tempranillo, Petit Verdot and fortifieds produced from Pedro Ximenes and Muscadelle grapes. Original plantings of Shiraz vines from the 1800s are still yielding exceptional fruit, yet in smaller volumes.

The Portuguese and Spanish varietals used for fortified wine production are happily entrenched in this region, content to languish in the sun’s rays until the berries are semi-dried, resulting in an intense concentration of fruit flavours.

The Shirazs are rich and full-bodied with an impressive concentration of fruit flavours and a lush complexity. Winemakers have been producing the Shiraz in the traditional style as a fruit-driven red best enjoyed with rich, meaty dishes. But they have also been experimenting with the fruit to produce a Sparkling Shiraz, Sticky Shiraz and Fortified Shiraz.

Faber Vineyard, Sandalford Wines, Olive Farm Wines, Windy Creek Estate

and Talijancich Wines have all been producing an enviable selection of fortified wines for many decades, where the semidried fruit is expertly blended with brandy spirit during fermentation and allowed to mature in a solera style barrel for many years to create those intensely luscious, sweet characters that fortifieds are renowned for.

As this region continues its exciting evolution, wineries are experimenting with traditional varieties and expressing them in exciting and unconventional new ways. Its strong southern European influence still prevails, as does its unique grapevine heritage from South Africa in colonial times. SV