A simply stunning collection of the best Margaret River wines

Welcome to the Margaret River Regional Wine Centre where you can find a simply stunning collection of the best wines from around the renowned Margaret River region.

Perhaps you're after a crisp, elegant Semillon Sauvignon Blanc? Or a fragrant, fruity Chardonnay? Or perhaps the rich aromas of dark berries and quality oak in a full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon or Shiraz is more your style?

And if you would like to try a range of wines, feel free to choose your own mixed dozen - or trust one of our selections.

Whatever your fine wine of choice, you will find it showcased here at the Margaret River Regional Wine Centre.

Make the most of your visit to our website. While you're here, you can:

• Shop online for more than 600 premium Margaret River wines sourced from more than 100 local wineries. Go to "Browse Wines by" at the left and start shopping!
  
  You can buy just your favourite, or you can select your own mixed dozen - and we'll do the rest. Your wine will be shipped to you wherever you are in Australia or the world. Wine is shipped duty free to overseas customers.
  
  
• Check out our special Mixed Dozens that feature award-winning wines or those voted "favourites" by our knowledgeable wine-loving staff (see "Featured Wines" box at left)
  
  
• Join our Wine Club to qualify for some amazing discounts and special offers, and stay up-to-date with all the latest wine news from the region
  
  
• Discover what's going on and what exciting events are coming up in the Margaret River region (see "Events" below).

And, if you happen to be lucky enough to be heading down our way, come in and say "g-day" and taste a sample from our stunning wine collection.

You'll find us on the Bussell Highway in Cowaramup - right in the heart of the Margaret River wine region. We're open 10am-7pm Monday to Saturday, and 12-6pm Sundays.

Hope to see you soon. Cheers!

NEWS AND EVENTS

News

Hopes are high for another great Margaret River vintage in 2012 as harvest is underway. Vintage is the most chaotic but planned time in the wine calendar. People, equipment small and large, winery space, pressing buckets, fuel loads, transport, yeast, cold storage are all in the mix for both vignerons and winemakers to juggle. Generally vintage will start early each day with most up and about and out in the vineyard as soon as it is light for those picking by hand. Those picking by machine work after dark in the cool of the evening through to the early morning. Most people can't wait for vintage to begin but after a while many can also not wait for it to end! The base for sparkling wines is all but complete and Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, in fact most of the white varietals are being picked at the moment with great variation within the region north to south as we are over 100 kilometres long. Reports to date suggest the 2012 vintage will be another good year for Margaret River with whites showing good fruit intensity, colour and flavour profile. At this stage, depending on the weather, red varieties will be harvested later, providing breathing space for those working in the vineyards and wineries. - Margaret River Wine Industry Association

Australian Wine Business Magazine has named its 2011 Wines of the Year. Wines that score 95 points and over are defined as "exceptional in every way; the pinnacle of style". Margaret River wines and wineries are very well represented on the list with 30 wines from 14 wineries scoring 95 points or more. The top Margaret River wines were Cullens' 2009 Diana Madeline and Kevin John Chardonnay (both with 98 points) and Cape Mentelle's Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon with 97 points.

The Margaret River Wine Festival will be staged over four days from 13-16 April 2012. The main event, the Vintage Festival on Saturday 14 April, will once again be hosted by Palmer Wines, Dunsborough. Other events include a Long Table Lunch at Leeuwin Estate (Friday, 13 April), street fiestas in Dunsborough and Margaret River (free family events on Friday evening, 13 April), and a President's Trophy Twenty20 cricket match in Cowaramup on Sunday, 15 April. Full details: www.margaretriverfestival.com.

Margaret River's Streicker Wines has won the Trophy for the Best Australian Shiraz at the 2011 VISY Great Australian Shiraz Challenge. Its 2009 Bridgeland Block Syrah is the first Western Australian wine to win the Trophy in one of Australia's most prestigious wine awards. Chairman of Judges Gary Baldwin said the top wine was "lovely aromatic primary fruit, not too big and heavy, but with supple pleasing tannins, a very modern style". Margaret River had three wines in the field of eight Gold Medal winners competing for the top trophy. The others were the 2009 Fermoy Estate Shiraz and the 2010 Next of Kin Xanadu Shiraz.

Congratulations to Bruce Dukes from Naturaliste Vintners who was named winemaker of the year at the recent 2011 WA Wine Industry Awards. Joining the winner's list was Hutton Wines whose 2009 Triptych Chardonnay was named Best Western Australian Wine for 2011, while the Gralyn 2009 Reserve Shiraz was judged best WA-grown red wine. Bob Cartwright, winemaker for Thompson Estate, took out the coveted Diana Madeline Cullen Award for Outstanding Contribution by an Individual.

The Ringbolt 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon was named Best Red Wine of the Show at the 2011 Margaret River Wine Show. Best White Wine was the Vasse Felix 2010 Heytesbury Chardonnay.

At the 2011 National Wine Show of Australia, the Vasse Felix 2010 Heytesbury Chardonnay was named Best Dry White Wine. Clairault Wines won the trophy for Best Single Vineyard Dry White for its 2010 Margaret River Estate Chardonnay. Xanadu Wines won the trophy for Best Dry Red for its 2010 Next of Kin Shiraz.

Woody Nook scored a win at the WA Boutique Wine Show, winning the Visy Board Best WA Red Wine title for its 2009 Gallagher's Choice Cabernet.

Cape Naturaliste Vineyard's Torpedo Rocks Cabernet Merlot 2009 has been named one of the world's best. The wine won the London International Wine Fair trophy for best red wine from a single vineyard at the International Wine and Spirit Competition awards. Cape Naturaliste is a biodynamic vineyard.

Saracen Estates scored a big win when its 2008 Reserve Cabernet was named "Best Cabernet Sauvignon of Australia & NZ for 2011" at the Winestate Wine of the Year Awards in November. It was one of seven Australian trophy winners and the only one from Western Australia.

Deep Woods Estate won a Gold medal and two trophies for its 2009 Block 7 Shiraz at the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Wine & Spirit Competition. It also won Silver medals for its Reserve 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon and 2010 Ebony.

The Juniper Crossing 2010 Tempranillo also scored a Gold medal at the Qantas Wine Show of WA. Other Gold medal winning wines were the 2009 and 2010 Juniper Estate Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2009 Higher Plane Cabernet Sauvignon.

Warner Glen Estate won a trophy for its 2010 Frog Belly Margaret River Semillon at the 2011 Qantas Wine Show of WA.

Laurance of Margaret River was named WA's Best Winery Cellar Door in the Australian Hotels Association 2011 Awards for Excellence.

Xanadu Wines has scored a hat-trick, winning the 2011 Gold Plate Award for Best Restaurant within a Winery Country. It won the award in 2010, 2009 and 2007. The awards are presented by the Catering Institute of Australia.

For more news, see News.

Events

January - April 2012

3 & 4 March 2012

10 March 2012

The Margaret River Wine Festival will be staged over four days from 13-16 April 2012. The main event, the Vintage Festival on Saturday 14 April, will once again be hosted by Palmer Wines, Dunsborough. Other events include a Long Table Lunch at Leeuwin Estate (Friday, 13 April), street fiestas in Dunsborough and Margaret River (free family events on Friday evening, 13 April), and a President's Trophy Twenty20 cricket match in Cowaramup on Sunday, 15 April. Full details: www.margaretriverfestival.com.