Great Southern

In 1955 the Californian viticulturist Harold Olmo concluded that the cooler climate of the Mount Barker-Frankland area was well suited to viticulture and to wines in a lighter, finer style, a full decade before Dr John Gladstones' report did the same for Margaret River. Ten years later the Western Australian Department of Agriculture planted an experimental vineyard at Forest Hill in Mount Barker. The first experimental plantings in the Great Southern were at Tony and Betty Pearse's Forest Hill property west of Mount Barker in 1965, and a Riesling and a Cabernet Sauvignon were made in 1972. The Forest Hill plantings provided the impetus for Tony Smith and Ernie Mead to plant vines on their properties at Denbarker in 1968, when Tony Smith planted trial vineyards of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon on his Bouverie property in Denbarker; Plantagenet Wines produced its first vintage in 1974. In Frankland River the first contemporary vineyard was planted in 1967, and Alkoomi first planted in 1971. Denmark's first plantings were along Mt Shadforth Road in 1974, followed by Riesling, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon at Tinglewood in 1976. Vines were established in the Albany sub-region in the late 1970s at a Redmond vineyard, followed by Wignalls Wines just north of Albany in 1982. Porongurup's wine grape production began with plantings of Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon in 1978. The Great Southern Wine Producers Association began as the Mount Barker-Frankland River Wine Producers Association in 1973. The Great Southern GI was entered in the Register of Protected Names on 30 October 1996.

• 1955: Harold Olmo judges the Mount Barker-Frankland area well suited to viticulture; 1965: first experimental plantings at Tony and Betty Pearse's Forest Hill property west of Mount Barker
• 1968: Tony Smith plants trial vineyards of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon on his Bouverie property in Denbarker; Plantagenet's first vintage follows in 1974
• 1971 to 1982: Alkoomi's first plantings in Frankland River (1971), Denmark's first plantings on Mt Shadforth Road (1974), Porongurup's first Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon (1978) and Wignalls Wines near Albany (1982)
• 1996 onward: Great Southern entered in the Register of Protected Names on 30 October 1996; its sub-regions entered between 15 August 1997 (Mount Barker) and 6 January 2003 (Denmark)

The region measures 100 kilometres north to south and 150 kilometres east to west, and the GI covers 17,131 km2. The register boundary starts at the low water mark on the south coast at Long Point, runs north to Terrace Road, then due east to where the Albany to Lake Grace Road, sometimes shown as Chester Pass Road, crosses the Pallinup River, then south-east to where the Pallinup River meets the Southern Ocean, and returns along the coast. The elevation range is 0-1083 m, and 2006-2025 averages give a mean January temperature of 20.3 C, 647 mm of annual rainfall, 244 mm of growing season rainfall and 1,735 growing degree days. Moving north and inland from the strongly maritime-influenced climate of Denmark, the continental influence and temperature variability increase significantly; though rainfall is greater and relative humidity increases in the south around Denmark, heat summation and sunshine hours do not change greatly. The predominant soils are similar to those of the Margaret River region: lateritic gravelly sandy loams (marri country) or sandy loams deriving directly from granite and gneissic bedrocks, typically brown to grey-brown, with moderate fertility. By sub-region, Mount Barker experiences high daily temperature fluctuations and strong continental aspects, with average annual rainfall of 600-700 mm and marri soils with lateritic gravelly and sandy loams derived from granite rock protrusions. Frankland River is inland and northerly, the catchment for the Frankland, Gordon, Kent and Tone Rivers, with ironstone-based gravels and duplex sandy loams over clay sub-soils derived from granitic outcrops. Albany has a broadly Mediterranean climate with a sea breeze off the ocean and a minimal daily temperature range, while Denmark has well-drained karri and marri loams and steep hills and valleys that create many unique microclimates. The Porongurup Range is 12 kilometres long and 670 metres high, and around 10 vineyards sit on its sunny northern slopes; the sub-region has a nocturnal thermal zone that reduces the risk of frost.

• Size: 17,131 km2; 100 km north to south and 150 km east to west
• Climate, 2006-2025 averages: mean January temperature 20.3 C, annual rainfall 647 mm, growing season rainfall 244 mm, 1,735 growing degree days
• Soils: lateritic gravelly sandy loams (marri country) or sandy loams from granite and gneissic bedrocks, brown to grey-brown, with moderate fertility
• Porongurup: a range 12 km long and 670 m high, around 10 vineyards on its northern slopes, and a nocturnal thermal zone that reduces the risk of frost

The main varieties grown are Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, and the top five varieties of the 2026 crush were Shiraz (27%), Cabernet Sauvignon (24%), Chardonnay (14%), Riesling (9%) and Semillon (7%). In Wine Australia's view, Riesling vies with Cabernet Sauvignon as the most important wine from the region; the Rieslings are crisp and lean in youth, with intense flavour, typically in the citrus spectrum, and an underlay of herbs. Cabernet Sauvignon produces long-lived wines of deep colour, intense flavour and powerful structure, and Great Southern Shiraz exhibits liquorice, spice, pepper, black cherry and plum. The Chardonnay is elegant, tightly structured and grapefruit-accented; wines of the south can be a little finer and softer, while those of the north are slightly more powerful. Until recently Pinot Noir was regarded as the preserve of the southern area around Denmark and Albany, but some wines have appeared from Mount Barker in slightly cooler years. By the Great Southern Wine Producers Association's account, Frankland River is recognised for premium Shiraz and Riesling, Mount Barker has an established reputation for Riesling, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir, and Porongurup has a growing reputation for cool climate wines, especially Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Albany's established varieties include Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Shiraz, and Denmark's principal varieties include Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc, with winemakers showing a developing interest in sparkling wine. In 2024 alternative varieties in the region included Grenache, Mourvèdre, Malbec, Mencía, Tempranillo, Grüner Veltliner and Gewürztraminer.

• Top five varieties of the 2026 crush: Shiraz 27%, Cabernet Sauvignon 24%, Chardonnay 14%, Riesling 9%, Semillon 7%
• Riesling: in Wine Australia's view it vies with Cabernet Sauvignon as the region's most important wine; crisp and lean in youth, with intense flavour typically in the citrus spectrum and an underlay of herbs
• Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon: Shiraz shows liquorice, spice, pepper, black cherry and plum; Cabernet Sauvignon has deep colour, intense flavour and powerful structure
• Chardonnay and Pinot Noir: elegant, grapefruit-accented Chardonnay; Pinot Noir until recently regarded as the preserve of the area around Denmark and Albany, with some wines from Mount Barker in slightly cooler years

Forest Hill was established in 1965 by Betty and Tony Pearse along with the WA Department of Agriculture and calls itself the first commercial vineyard planted in the Great Southern; its current owners acquired the vineyard in 1996, and it lies at 220m to 240m altitude, approximately 40km from the coast. Plantagenet, which calls itself the first commercial winery in the Great Southern, was established in 1968 by Tony Smith; Lionel Samson & Son bought a one-third share in 1992 and the whole business in 2000, and Tom and Jo Wisdom became the owners in 2021, when Mike Garland became Plantagenet's ninth winemaker. Alkoomi's first plantings, made in 1971 by Merv and Judy Lange, were one hectare each of Cabernet Sauvignon and Riesling with a little Shiraz and Malbec, and 1976 was its first vintage. Frankland Estate was co-founded in 1988 by Judi Cullam and the late Barrie Smith, and its flagship vineyard is Isolation Ridge; it is run by siblings Hunter and Elizabeth Smith, with Elizabeth's husband Brian Kent guiding winemaking since 2010. Howard Park's first two wines, a Riesling and a Cabernet Sauvignon, were produced by founder John Wade; Jeff and Amy Burch became partners in 1993, opened a winery and cellar door in Denmark in 1997 and took sole control in 1998. Its Great Southern vineyards are Mount Barrow in the Mount Barker sub-region, purchased in 2004 and planted a year later, and Abercrombie, planted with Cabernet Sauvignon in 1975 and purchased in 2014. In Porongurup, Angelo and Wendy Diletti selected Castle Rock Estate's 55 hectare property towards the end of 1981 and first planted Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon there in 1983, and their son Rob Diletti is the winemaker; Duke's Vineyard, founded by Duke and Hilde Ranson, was purchased by Ben Cane and Sarah Date in 2022. West Cape Howe was founded in 1997, is owned by four Western Australian families, and has its winery at the Langton vineyard in the Mt Barker wine district.

• Forest Hill (1965, Mount Barker): established by Betty and Tony Pearse along with the WA Department of Agriculture; acquired by its current owners in 1996
• Plantagenet (1968, Mount Barker): established by Tony Smith; owned by Tom and Jo Wisdom since 2021
• Frankland River: Alkoomi (first planted 1971, first vintage 1976) and Frankland Estate (co-founded in 1988 by Judi Cullam and Barrie Smith)
• Howard Park (Mount Barrow and Abercrombie vineyards), Castle Rock Estate and Duke's Vineyard (Porongurup), and West Cape Howe (founded 1997, winery in Mount Barker)

Great Southern was entered in the Register of Protected Names on 30 October 1996, and the register places it within the South West Australia GI, which was entered on 1 May 1996. Its five sub-regions were entered as follows: Mount Barker on 15 August 1997, Albany and Porongurup on 28 July 1999, Frankland River on 24 August 2000 and Denmark on 6 January 2003. Mount Barker was Western Australia's first official sub-region. Australia's blending rules, outlined in sections 25, 26 and 27 of the Wine Australia Regulations 2018, prescribe the minimum compositional requirements for vintage, variety and GI claims. The single-GI minimum is 85%: a wine made from 85% Barossa Valley fruit can claim ‘Barossa Valley’, and compliance with the blending rules is monitored through the Label Integrity Program. For visitors, Great Southern is a 420km drive from Perth; as of 2024 cellar doors were few and far between, with more in Denmark. Albany is the oldest European settlement in Western Australia and the major centre of the Great Southern, Denmark stands on Wilson Inlet 45 minutes' drive west of Albany, and a National Park lies at the heart of the Porongurup sub-region, whose range offers views of the Stirling Range to the north. The Great Southern Wine Producers Association promotes the region and has operated under a board of management structure since 2005.

• Great Southern entered in the Register of Protected Names on 30 October 1996, within the South West Australia GI (entered 1 May 1996)
• Sub-regions entered: Mount Barker 15 August 1997; Albany and Porongurup 28 July 1999; Frankland River 24 August 2000; Denmark 6 January 2003
• Blending rules: a single-GI claim needs at least 85% of the fruit from that GI; compliance is monitored through the Label Integrity Program
• Visiting: a 420km drive from Perth, with more cellar doors in Denmark as of 2024; Albany is the major centre of the Great Southern

Primary sources (Wine Australia and its Register of Protected GIs, the Great Southern Wine Producers Association, and producers' own sites for their own history and wines): https://www.wineaustralia.com/labelling/geographical-indicators/labelling-gi-great-southern, https://www.wineaustralia.com/labelling/geographical-indicators/labelling-gi-albany, https://www.wineaustralia.com/labelling/geographical-indicators/labelling-gi-denmark, https://www.wineaustralia.com/labelling/geographical-indicators/labelling-gi-frankland-river, https://www.wineaustralia.com/labelling/geographical-indicators/labelling-gi-mount-barker, https://www.wineaustralia.com/labelling/geographical-indicators/labelling-gi-porongurup, https://www.wineaustralia.com/labelling/geographical-indicators/labelling-gi-south-west-australia, https://www.wineaustralia.com/market-insights/regions-and-varieties/western-australia-wines/great-southern, https://www.wineaustralia.com/getmedia/be548db2-114b-44eb-8bd5-1747ffca84cf/MI_Great-Southern-Region-Snapshot-2025-26.pdf, https://www.wineaustralia.com/labelling/the-blending-rules, https://www.wineaustralia.com/getmedia/fb571392-5d0c-4f9e-95fd-b7501076280a/REG_BlendingRules_v2.pdf, https://greatsouthernwine.org.au/about-region/, https://greatsouthernwine.org.au/albany/, https://greatsouthernwine.org.au/denmark/, https://greatsouthernwine.org.au/frankland-river/, https://greatsouthernwine.org.au/mount-barker/, https://greatsouthernwine.org.au/porongurup/, https://greatsouthernwine.org.au/about-us/, https://www.foresthillwines.com.au/our-story, https://www.foresthillwines.com.au/vineyard, https://www.foresthillwines.com.au/store/2024-block-5-cabernet-sauvignon, https://plantagenetwines.com/pages/our-story, https://plantagenetwines.com/products/2025-plantagenet-angevin-riesling, https://www.alkoomiwines.com.au/pages/our-story, https://franklandestate.com.au/pages/about-us, https://franklandestate.com.au/products/isolation-ridge-vineyard-syrah-2024, https://howardparkwines.com.au/heritage/, https://howardparkwines.com.au/provenance/estate-vineyards/, https://castlerockestate.com.au/about-us/, https://castlerockestate.com.au/vineyards/, https://dukesvineyard.com/pages/story, https://www.westcapehowewines.com.au/about/. Secondary: https://www.decanter.com/premium/great-southern-wines-australias-biggest-secret-525474/, https://www.decanter.com/features/regional-profile-great-southern-245575/, https://www.decanter.com/features/great-southern-in-focus-247495/. Last verified 2026-10-05