Rokewood Vineyard

The Great Southern Wine Region
Western Australia's coolest wine-growing region the Great Southern boasts warm days and cool nights that are well suited for premium wine-grape growing. As well as the coolest in the state, it is also the largest in area and produces over a third of wine grapes produced in Western Australia.

The five sub-regions of Albany, Denmark, Frankland River, Mount Barker and the Porongorups have vastly different climatic conditions which provides for an exciting variety of premium wines. Of significance is the fact that many wine companies situated in other wine regions of Western Australia source grapes from the Great Southern due to consistent high quality production for a number of different grape varieties.

The Mount Barker sub-region produces internationally recognised wines, with the most sought after being Riesling, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. Other varieties produced in the region include Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc.

History
Whilst the Western Australian wine industry is relatively young in comparison to other regions in Australia, the Mount Barker sub-region played an important part in the establishment of the state as a quality wine producer.

In the late 1950s the state government of the time was concerned over the struggling apple industry in the Great Southern and was actively investigating alternative agricultural pursuits in the area. Esteemed viticulturalists from other states in Australia (Dr Penfold Hyland from NSW) and overseas (Professor Olmo from California) were consulted to advise on ideal locations in Western Australia for premium grape growing.

As a direct result from the investigations, five acres of riesling and cabernet sauvignon were planted at Forest Hill just west of Mount Barker. The first vintage from these vines was harvested in 1972, and the Riesling in particular was startlingly good. The 1973 vintage is still the States most awarded wine and was still winning Gold Medals and trophies 10 years later. Further plantings throughout the region followed … Frankland, Denbarker and so on … and these original plantings are recognised internationally for the quality wines they produce … Alkoomi, Plantagenet, Bouverie … to name but a few.

Climate & Terrior
Mount Barker is inland and somewhat higher than the coastal regions of the Great Southern and it typically experiences a Mediterranean climate with lower humidity and more sunshine than the coast. The long dry summers are warm to hot, with typical temperature ranges of 13.1 - 26.1 degrees celsius, while winters are cool and wet, with typical temperature ranges of 6.5 - 15.3 degrees celsius. Average rainfall is relatively low, with around 760mm over 170 days expected each year, with the dryer summers helping to promote more intense fruit flavours.

The Mount Barker region is distinguished by its gravelly “marri” loams which have excellent drainage and yield lower production, again contributing to more intense grape flavours. The land is typified by gently undulating slopes, ideal for good drainage and orientation of the vines for optimum sunlight. Harvest time generally occurs between mid-March and late April.

The Rokewood Vineyard
The Rokewood Vineyard is located above the banks of the Hay River and west of Mount Barker – one of a few small vineyards nestled between the larger plantings of producers such as Goundrys and Forest Hill. The property is approximately 100 acres of partially cleared land of which 13 acres have producing vines. The soils are deep, gravelly loams and have proven to be very well suited for the production of smooth drinking and nicely structured cabernet sauvignons. The first vines were planted in 1999 and the most recent harvests have produced relatively low yeilds of approximately 1.5 tonnes per acre. These low yeilds are highly desireable for achieving the greater intensity of flavour in the wine.

The WineMaking
The winemaking process involves the best of both traditional and modern practices, with all wines matured in oak for between twelve months and two years. Rokewood currently contracts the wine making to Winemaker Rob Diletti of CastleRock, located near to Mount Barker in the Porongorups. Rob is a highly regarded and experienced wine maker, well placed to ensure the flavours from the vineyard are preserved for enjoyment by our customers.