Science and tradition make good bedfellows in Margaret River. Over at Xanadu Swiss winemaker Jurg Muggli combines an engineering degree with the most advanced techniques in the vineyard and winery. He makes the wines with co-owner Conor Lagan. The focus is on innovation and quality winemaking and grape-growing. The two are literally pushing the frontiers of winemaking with some highly impressive results.

Jurg adds his overseas experience and equipment are essential. The result has been wines such as the consistently fine quality Xanadu Reserve Cabernet.

"We strive for integrated production in the vineyard," he says. "Moderate crops, organic fertilisers, the best French barrels and the best French yeast. Come to think of it, really the only thing that comes from Australia are the grapes," laughs Jurg. "Not even I do!"

Hay Shed Hill's Peter Stanlake, 35, yet another graduate of Roseworthy, says he looks to highlight nuances and complexity in his cabernets and chardonnays, while seeking fresh fruitiness in the sauvignon blanc. He certainly achieved the latter with his 1995 Sauvignon Blanc, which won a medal at the last Perth Sheraton Wine Awards.

Cape Mentelle is one of the region's benchmark wineries and boasts some of the most dynamic young winemakers in the region. Under the watchful eye of talented chief winemaker John Durham the winery produces wines of great depth and character. This vintage saw young winemakers Mark Messenger, Michael Gadd and Virginia Willcock working their magic.

Virginia and Michael studied together at Roseworthy and have been making wines for seven years. Although both are under 30, they have an impressive track record, having made wines in France, Italy, Hungary, Austria, Albania and New Zealand.

Michael has been assistant winemaker at Cullen for three vintages and for two others at Cape Mentelle. Virginia worked four vintages at Redgate before taking off to see the world of wine.

However, like so many other young winemakers who have travelled away from the region, she soon realised that Margaret River, like Coonawarra, offers something truly special for winemaking.

"This is a fabulous grape growing area - one of the best in the world," she said. Indeed it is. A steady flow of national and international awards testify to the combination of superb conditions and passionate winemakers reaching for the stars.

One of the old hands in the Margaret River wine industry, Leeuwin Estate's Dennis Horgan, rightly refers to the area as the "Bordeaux of the New World". He just might be right. What a place to be young and passionate about making great wines!

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