It has been just 30 years since the first vines were planted in Margaret River, and already this extraordinary region is recognised as one of the world's great fine wine producers.

In fact, as one local winemaker muttered recently, "I hate to say it, but award-winning around here is getting a bit monotonous."

Modesty aside, I suppose when you consider it took the French since pre-Roman times to achieve the same results, then 30 years isn't too bad at all!

Indeed today, wherever there is a wine competition, or a gathering of wine critics, Margaret River wines seem to be either being praised or draped with yet another gong.

For example, recently six of Australia's top wine experts met in Sydney to taste 60 of Australia's finest chardonnays. Margaret River had four wines in the top 10 and six in the top 20. It goes without saying that, for now at least, we are the country's best chardonnay region.

But it's not just the chardonnays. The backbone of the region remains its exceptional cabernets. In his Top 100 wines for The Australian James Halliday scored the 1995 Cullen Wines Cabernet Merlot the same as Grange Hermitage - one of the world's best wines. He gave them both a 94 out of 100.

So what makes Margaret River so special? Though it may sound a tad trite, Margaret River is lucky enough to have all it takes to produce premium wine. Bordeaux has similar attributes. The happy association of favourable frost-free climatic conditions, excellent soils, and talented, passionate winemakers consistently produce world-beating results.

And being blessed with perhaps the purest grape growing environment on earth, it is little wonder that the region now produces over 20 percent of the country's premium wines, but only one percent of wine overall. We can live with those figures!...Hope you enjoy our Spring Dozen. -

Ron Macfarlane