Ancient soils and a pristine maritime environment.
Fresh sea breezes blow in across the Indian Ocean cooling the vines in summer and moderating the chill of winter preventing frosts on even the coldest days.
Many people call Margaret River the Bordeaux of the south because of its similarities to the famous French wine growing region. It’s no coincidence that some of the wines that grow so well in Bordeaux are the stand out varieties in Margaret River - particularly Cabernet Sauvignon. The Margaret River micro-climate is perfect for growing wine grapes. The soils are ancient and untouched. This southernmost corner of the Australian continent has some of the most complex, rich and fertile soils in the world and Margaret River’s close proximity to the coast means that the prevailing winds blow in across the pristine Indian Ocean cooling the vines in summer and modulating the chill of winter preventing frosts on even the coldest days.
The first vines in Margaret River were planted a few kilometres from our vineyard in 1968 by Dr Tom Cullity. He had recognised the suitability of the soils and the micro-climate of Margaret River after the region was surveyed by Western Australian soil scientist Dr John Gladstones some years before. The Wilyabrup sub-region is in the heart of the Margaret River appellation and is home to some of Australia’s finest wineries. Wilyabrup is the Aboriginal name for “place of red ochre”. It was home to the Noongar people for tens of thousands of years. The red ochre gravel is the key to the region’s free-draining loamy soils that make it so perfect for world class viticulture.
Our Founders
Patrick Coward and Martin Black, the founders of Coward & Black Vineyards, met when they were six years old. Their parents had emigrated from Britain during Western Australia’s mining boom in the late sixties. They bought an old cattle grazing property in Margaret River in 1997 and opened The Margaret River Chocolate Company in 1999.
In 2006 they launched their wine label and opened their first cellar door in Margaret River. When it came to name their wine they reverted to the French tradition of naming the vineyard after the owners’ surnames. The logo pays homage to their journey across the seas.
Wine maker
With double degrees in winemaking, viticulture and agribusiness Fraser Gallop Estate’s winemaker Ellin Tritt works closely with Clive Otto to oversee our wine production each vintage. Ellin shares our view that great wine is made in the vineyard and works closely with our vineyard manager as the vintage evolves, forensically monitoring the developing ripeness, acidity and physiological flavour of the fruit as we approach each harvest to ensure that we hand pick the fruit on the day that it's at its absolute peak.
Viticulturalist
John Standish has been our viticulturist since 2008. He is well known as one of the Margaret River region’s most accomplished and knowledgable viticulturists. John established our vineyard in The Swan Valley and has been working meticulously with the vineyard team bringing the very best modern viticultural practices to our vineyards.