Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon

Margaret River's modern wine story was born from scientific research. In 1955 Dr Harold Olmo, Professor of Viticulture at the University of California Davis, was invited to Western Australia, and his survey outlined the fine wine viticulture potential of the south-west of Australia. In 1965 and 1966 Dr John Gladstones, Senior Lecturer in Agronomy at the University of Western Australia, expanded on that work in two reports, the second focused on the Margaret River and Busselton areas. These papers led medical doctors Tom Cullity and Bill Pannell to plant Vasse Felix (1967) and Moss Wood (1969). Cabernet Sauvignon was there from the start: the original Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec plantings at Vasse Felix still grow today, and the Houghton Cabernet block in the Swan Valley supplied the first Cabernet planted in Margaret River in 1967, followed by Moss Wood (1969), Cape Mentelle (1970) and other pioneer properties. Vasse Felix made its first Cabernet in 1972, and Dr Cullity's first serious wines that year were a Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec and a Riesling. Moss Wood's first Cabernet Sauvignon vines were planted in 1969, and its first vintage was 250 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon. Cape Mentelle was established in 1970 by David Hohnen and his brothers Mark and Giles, and Cullen Wines was founded in 1971 by Dr Kevin John Cullen and Diana Madeline Cullen; by 1980 there were 20 vineyards operating in Margaret River.

• 1955: Dr Harold Olmo's survey outlines the fine wine viticulture potential of the south-west of Australia; 1965 and 1966: Dr John Gladstones' two reports follow
• 1967: Dr Tom Cullity plants Vasse Felix, where the original Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec plantings still grow
• 1972: Vasse Felix makes its first Cabernet, and its first serious wines are a Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec and a Riesling
• 1969 to 1971: Moss Wood, Cape Mentelle and Cullen Wines follow; Moss Wood's first vintage was 250 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon

Margaret River is a long, narrow region in the south-west corner of Australia, running 110 kilometres north to south and 27 kilometres west to east, with its northernmost point 230 kilometres from Perth. The Indian Ocean lies to the north and west and the Southern Ocean to the south, creating a strong maritime influence with comparatively low temperature variability. Wine Australia calls the overall climate similar to Bordeaux in a dry year, and the low diurnal temperature range leads to very even heat accumulation. On Bureau of Meteorology data, 2006-2025 averages are 21.1°C mean January temperature, 914 mm annual rainfall, 213 mm October-April growing season rainfall and 1,896 growing degree days, and the elevation range is 0-234 m. Cooling afternoon sea breezes are common during the growing season, and the moderate climate and sea breeze allow Cabernet to ripen over an extended time to achieve fruit flavour and resolved tannins while retaining natural acidity. On soils, the Leeuwin Complex, with its laterite foundations, carries over two-thirds of the region's vineyards, and Forest Grove ironstone gravels make up 45 percent of vineyard area. These are the shallowest soils of the region, with clay and rock bases restricting root growth and moderating vine vigour, and the MRWA says iconic quality Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay fruit is grown on them.

• 110 km north to south and 27 km west to east, with the Indian Ocean to the north and west and the Southern Ocean to the south
• 2006-2025 averages: mean January temperature 21.1°C, annual rainfall 914 mm, growing season rainfall 213 mm, 1,896 growing degree days
• The moderate climate and sea breeze let Cabernet ripen over an extended period while retaining natural acidity
• Forest Grove ironstone gravels: 45 percent of vineyard area, shallow and low in fertility; the MRWA says iconic quality Cabernet Sauvignon fruit grows there

Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon is often blended with Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot. Wine Australia describes the wines as medium to full-bodied, with earthy, gravelly characters and ripe cassis and violet aromas. Winemaking is quite classical, with maceration, pressing and maturation in oak barriques, while concrete and terracotta vessels are growing in popularity, and winemakers practise restraint with new oak. Many Cabernet vineyards are based on Western Australia's heritage Houghton clone and have an average vine age of over 20 years; SA125 and SA126 are other clones planted in the region. Houghton is a heritage mass selection (sélection massale) unique to Western Australia, low yielding at 4 to 6 tonnes per hectare, with bunches of small, thick-skinned berries. The Houghton Cabernet block, a 1.6 hectare Swan Valley vineyard established in the 1930s from cuttings of old bush vines in nearby Middle Swan, supplied the first Margaret River Cabernet, and a new generation of Houghton planting and re-planting followed in the late 1990s after quality and sensory research by the Western Australian Department of Agriculture. At harvest, which typically begins in February, Cabernet Sauvignon requires the full ripening season and is often the last variety to be picked.

• Blending partners: Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot
• Houghton: a heritage mass selection unique to Western Australia, low yielding at 4 to 6 tonnes per hectare, with small, thick-skinned berries
• Other Cabernet clones planted in Margaret River include SA125 and SA126
• Cabernet Sauvignon requires the full ripening season and is often the last variety harvested

Vasse Felix, established by Dr Thomas Brendan Cullity in 1967 and guided by the Holmes à Court family since 1987, has made a Cabernet Sauvignon from every Margaret River vintage. Its TOM CULLITY comes from Margaret River's original vines, the Premier Cabernet Sauvignon from later plantings in the Home Vineyard in Wilyabrup, and the Filius draws on Adams Road fruit; the grapes are wild fermented in small batches, macerated for up to 30 days, basket-pressed and matured in French oak barriques for 12 to 18 months, and Malbec has been a key blending component since the first release in 1972. Moss Wood, planted in 1969 in Wilyabrup, is the estate of Clare and Keith Mugford, winemakers, viticulturalists and proprietors, who have made wine and tended the vineyard there since 1984 and 1979 respectively. Moss Wood says it looked to the great wines of Bordeaux for inspiration for its Cabernet Sauvignon, and it also makes a Ribbon Vale Cabernet Sauvignon. Kevin Cullen always had a great love of Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cullen Wines' flagship Diana Madeline is a Cabernet Sauvignon blend; the 2024 is 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, 3% Malbec and 2% Merlot. The family-owned estate describes itself as certified Biodynamic and Carbon Positive. Cape Mentelle, established in 1970, started with 16 hectares of vines on what is now called the Wallcliffe Vineyard, and its flagship Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced primarily from that original vineyard; the estate is part of Paragon Wine Estates, owned by Endeavour Group Limited. Leeuwin Estate lies south of Margaret River town under the chillier Southern Ocean influence, which Decanter judges can be more challenging for late-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon. Southerly producers commonly blend in Cabernet from warmer northern sites, but since 2002 Leeuwin has been progressively reducing its northern fruit, especially for its Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon, whose backbone is Block 8, dry-grown and planted in the mid-1970s to local Houghton clones.

• Vasse Felix: TOM CULLITY from the original vines, Premier Cabernet Sauvignon from the Home Vineyard in Wilyabrup, and Filius; matured in French oak barriques for 12 to 18 months
• Moss Wood: planted in 1969 in Wilyabrup; Clare and Keith Mugford looked to Bordeaux for inspiration for its Cabernet Sauvignon
• Cullen Diana Madeline 2024: 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, 3% Malbec, 2% Merlot, aged 14 months in 50% new French oak
• Leeuwin Estate Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon: Block 8, dry-grown and planted in the mid-1970s to Houghton clones, with less northern fruit since 2002

Margaret River is an Australian Geographical Indication (GI). In June 1994 Dr Gladstones offered recommendations for delineating the region, and in 1996 Margaret River became one of the first three wine regions in Australia to have its boundaries legally defined, entered in the Register of Protected Names on 30 October 1996. The Gladstones Line, at longitude 115°18'E, forms the GI's eastern boundary. Australia's blending rules, set out in sections 25, 26 and 27 of the Wine Australia Regulations 2018, prescribe minimum compositional requirements for vintage, variety and GI claims, with compliance monitored through the Label Integrity Program. A single-GI claim needs a minimum of 85% of the wine from that GI, and only grape varieties recognised by the OIV, UPOV or IPGRI may be claimed on labels. Margaret River has no official sub-regions. In 1999 Dr Gladstones proposed six, based on climate and soil differences: Yallingup, Carbunup, Wilyabrup, Treeton, Wallcliffe and Karridale; these have not been scientifically verified as Geographical Indicators or approved by the Australian Government. The Margaret River Wine Association was established in the late 1970s as the Margaret River Grape Growers & Winemakers Association, was incorporated in 1982, and is the peak body for Margaret River grape growers and winemakers.

• Margaret River GI entered in the Register of Protected Names on 30 October 1996
• Blending rules: Wine Australia Regulations 2018, sections 25, 26 and 27; a single-GI claim needs a minimum of 85% from that GI
• No official sub-regions; Gladstones' 1999 proposal of Yallingup, Carbunup, Wilyabrup, Treeton, Wallcliffe and Karridale has not been approved by the Australian Government
• The MRWA was incorporated in 1982 and is the peak body for the region's grape growers and winemakers

Margaret River has 100 cellar doors and is an easy 3-hour drive from Perth, with 1 to 1.5 hours needed to travel from the north of the region to the south. Cabernet is also a shared project among local winemakers: Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay each have an annual regional tasting hosted at Vasse Felix, where hundreds of single plot barrel samples from a single vintage are tasted and discussed, and international blind tasting events featuring the two varieties are held at Cape Mentelle and Cullen Wines each year. Vasse Felix's Home Vineyard, the site of Margaret River's oldest vines, sits just 4 km from the ocean on the Wilyabrup ridge. Because the region's vines grow on their own roots, visitors are asked not to walk amongst the vines or enter vineyards without permission and to observe biosecurity protocols; phylloxera is currently confined to selected areas of Victoria and NSW.

• 100 cellar doors, an easy 3-hour drive from Perth
• Annual regional Cabernet Sauvignon tasting of single plot barrel samples, hosted at Vasse Felix
• International blind tastings featuring Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay are held at Cape Mentelle and Cullen Wines each year
• Visitors are asked not to walk amongst the vines without permission, to protect own-rooted vineyards from phylloxera

Primary sources (Wine Australia and its Register of Protected GIs, the Australian Wine Research Institute, the Margaret River Wine Association, and producers' own sites for their own history and wines): https://www.wineaustralia.com/labelling/geographical-indicators/labelling-gi-margaret-river, https://www.wineaustralia.com/market-insights/regions-and-varieties/western-australia-wines/margaret-river, https://www.wineaustralia.com/getmedia/8ed0b6af-3648-4edc-b2a6-76dfc8772315/MI_Margaret-River-Region-Snapshot-2025-26.pdf, https://www.wineaustralia.com/labelling/the-blending-rules, https://www.awri.com.au/industry_support/viticulture/pests-and-diseases/phylloxera/, https://margaretriver.wine/history/, https://margaretriver.wine/climate/, https://margaretriver.wine/geology-soils/, https://margaretriver.wine/viticulture-winemaking/, https://margaretriver.wine/wine-varieties/, https://margaretriver.wine/about-mrwa/, https://margaretriver.wine/visiting-margaret-river/, https://www.vassefelix.com.au/our-story, https://www.vassefelix.com.au/cabernet-sauvignon, https://www.mosswood.com.au/about/, https://www.mosswood.com.au/wines/, https://cullenwines.com.au/pages/the-cullen-family-legacy, https://cullenwines.com.au/products/2024-diana-madeline, https://www.capementelle.com.au/Cape-Mentelle/History, https://www.wineaustralia.com/getmedia/fb571392-5d0c-4f9e-95fd-b7501076280a/REG_BlendingRules_v2.pdf. Secondary: https://www.decanter.com/premium/leeuwin-estate-producer-profile-and-12-wines-tasted-454556/. Last verified 2026-10-05