Photo: Liese Coulter, CSIRO, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Western Australia · Sub-regions
Margaret River
Margaret River, 270 km south of Perth on the Indian Ocean, makes only 3 % of Australia's wine but over 20 % of its premium wine: world-class Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay in a Bordeaux-like climate.
Grape Varieties
Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay
Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon
Most Famous Site
Wilyabrup
Vineyard Area
5.500 ha
Harvest
February – March
TERROIR PROFILE · Western Australia
Margaret River Maritime Bordeaux Down Under
Margaret River — Australia's most prestigious region. Leeuwin Estate, Moss Wood, Cullen, Vasse Felix.
SOILS
Gravel / Sandlight, approachable
Gravel and sand drain heavily — vines struggle for water, wines turn fine, light and elegant.
Loambody-rich, velvety
Loamy soils give wines volume and a soft, velvety mouthfeel.
Graniteelegant, lightly spicy
Weathered granite produces elegant, slender wines with fine, lightly spicy profile.
Sandaromatic, approachable
Loose sand and wind-blown sand warm up quickly and hold little water — they give aromatic, early-drinking wines with soft tannins; phylloxera-resistant.
CLIMATE · Maritime
Mediterranean-maritime climate: the Indian Ocean to the west and the Southern Ocean to the south keep the annual temperature range unusually small, at about 7.6 degrees on average. Winters are wet and summers dry; of roughly 1,160 millimetres of annual rainfall only about 200 fall between October and April. Harvest generally runs from February to April.
TOPOGRAPHY · gentle
Flat to gently rolling country on the Leeuwin-Naturaliste ridge between Cape Naturaliste in the north and Cape Leeuwin in the south. Vineyards generally sit low, and steep slopes are largely absent.
WHAT IT MEANS IN THE GLASS
Typical Flavours of the Region
Cabernet Sauvignon
RedChardonnay
WhiteSauvignon Blanc
WhiteSémillon
WhiteRegion aroma cloud
Western Australia overview
This sub-region is part of Western Australia. The map shows all 9 sub-regions — Margaret River is highlighted.
Overview
Typical Varieties
Terroir & Climate
Wine Character
Margaret River lies in Australia's far south-west, about 270 kilometres south of Perth between Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin. Around 5,500 hectares produce only about 3 % of Australia's wine – but over 20 % of the country's premium wine. The climate is maritime and often compared with Bordeaux: the Indian Ocean keeps temperatures mild, cool afternoon winds slow ripening and preserve freshness and structure; frost is practically irrelevant.
Granite and lateritic gravel soils drain superbly. Cabernet Sauvignon yields dense, cassis-driven wines with fine tannin and great ageing potential, Chardonnay creamy, mineral wines of world class; Sauvignon Blanc–Sémillon blends are the everyday regional speciality. The region is young: cardiologist Tom Cullity planted the first vines at Vasse Felix in 1967 after agronomist John Gladstones described the Bordeaux-like climate. Moss Wood (1969), Cape Mentelle (1970), Cullen (1971) and Leeuwin Estate (1972) followed – the 'Founding Five' that still lead the region today.
Beyond wine, Margaret River offers world-class surf breaks, karst caves, karri forests and some of Australia's best food.
Soil Type
Granite, lateritic gravel, sandy soils over laterite
Climate
Mediterranean-maritime; cool oceanic winds; dry summers; minimal frost risk
Top profiles
35 detailed profiles — all filterable in the list below
Cullen Wines
Margaret River · Wilyabrup
Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon
Vasse Felix
Margaret River · Cowaramup
Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon
Xanadu Wines
Margaret River · Margaret River
Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc
Howard Park
Margaret River · Cowaramup
Riesling, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay
Leeuwin Estate
Margaret River · Margaret River
Riesling, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay
Cape Mentelle
Margaret River · Margaret River
Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon
All Wineries
45 resultsCullen Wines
Margaret River · Wilyabrup
Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon
Vasse Felix
Margaret River · Cowaramup
Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon
Howard Park
Margaret River · Cowaramup
Riesling, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay
Xanadu Wines
Margaret River · Margaret River
Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc
Cape Mentelle
Margaret River · Margaret River
Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon
Leeuwin Estate
Margaret River · Margaret River
Riesling, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay
Pierro
Margaret River · Wilyabrup
Chardonnay (flagship, Gin-Gin clone), Cabernet Sauvignon
Voyager Estate
Margaret River · Margaret River
Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc
Evans & Tate
Margaret River · Wilyabrup
Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc
Moss Wood
Margaret River · Wilyabrup
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc
Stella Bella Wines
Margaret River · Margaret River
Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon
McHenry Hohnen
Margaret River · Wilyabrup
Chardonnay
Fraser Gallop Estate
Margaret River · Wilyabrup
Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon
Flametree Wines
Margaret River · Marybrook
Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon
Fermoy Estate
Margaret River · Wilyabrup
Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon
Devil's Lair
Margaret River · Margaret River
Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc
Cape Grace Wines
Margaret River · Margaret River
Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc
Amelia Park Wines
Margaret River · Cowaramup
Riesling, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc
Events in Western Australia
All events in Western Australia →19 Nov – Sun, 22 November 2026
Pair'd Margaret River Region
Wine festival · Margaret River
Sat, 6 March 2027
Pemberton Unearthed
Wine festival · Pemberton
19 Mar – Sun, 28 March 2027
Taste Great Southern
Wine festival · Albany / Mount Barker / Denmark
19 Nov – Sun, 21 November 2027
Margaret River Region Open Studios & Wine Trail – Cabernet Celebration
Tasting · Margaret River
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Margaret River and what shapes the region?
Margaret River lies in the far south-west of Australia, about 270 kilometres south of Perth between Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin.
Who are the 'Founding Five' of Margaret River?
Tom Cullity planted the first vines at Vasse Felix in 1967. Moss Wood (1969), Cape Mentelle (1970), Cullen (1971) and Leeuwin Estate (1972) followed as the 'Founding Five'.
Which wines are typical of Margaret River?
Cabernet Sauvignon gives dense, cassis-toned wines with fine tannin, and Chardonnay gives creamy, mineral wines. Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon blends are the regional speciality.
Which grape varieties define Margaret River?
The key grape varieties in Margaret River are Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. The best-known vineyard is Wilyabrup.
When is the best time to visit Margaret River for wine?
The harvest in Margaret River takes place February – March – when vineyards and cellars are busiest. May to July suits tastings without harvest bustle; many estates open their tasting rooms off-season by appointment.
What does the terroir of Margaret River taste like?
Soils: Granite, lateritic gravel, sandy soils over laterite. Climate: Mediterranean-maritime; cool oceanic winds; dry summers; minimal frost risk. Together they shape structure, acidity and aromatics – see the terroir profile above.
All wineries in Margaret River, A to Z
- Amelia Park Wines · Cowaramup
- Bettenay's
- Cape Grace Wines · Margaret River
- Cape Mentelle · Margaret River
- Coward & Black
- Credaro
- Cullen Wines · Wilyabrup
- Deep Woods Estate
- Devil's Lair · Margaret River
- Dormilona
- Driftwood Estate
- Evans & Tate · Wilyabrup
- Fermoy Estate · Wilyabrup
- Fishbone Wines
- Flametree Wines · Marybrook
- Flowstone Wines · Forest Grove
- Fraser Gallop Estate · Wilyabrup
- Gralyn Estate · Wilyabrup
- Hay shed hill
- Heydon Estate
- Howard Park · Cowaramup
- Jarvis Estate · Bramley
- Juniper Estate
- Killerby
- Knee Deep in Margaret River
- Laurance Wines
- Leeuwin Estate · Margaret River
- Lentedal Vineyard
- Lenton Brae · Wilyabrup
- McHenry Hohnen · Wilyabrup
- Moss Wood · Wilyabrup
- Pierro · Wilyabrup
- Providor
- Redgate
- Ribbon Vale Estate
- Stella Bella Wines · Margaret River
- The Grove
- Vasse Felix · Cowaramup
- Voyager Estate · Margaret River
- Watershed
- Wills Domain
- Windance
- Windows Estate
- Woody Nook Winery
- Xanadu Wines · Margaret River
📖 Look up in glossary
All terms →Related wine terms — clearly explained in the Cellarmap glossary.