The Margaret River Wine Region is a strip of land in the very south-western part of Australia. It gets its name from the river in the central part of the region which flows into the Indian Ocean; confusingly there is also a town called Margaret River which is the administrative and tourist centre for the region.
In the 1950s and 1960s scientists examined the soil and determined that, together with the climate, it was suitable for growing vines. Vasse Felix, founded by Dr Tom Cullitty (a cardiologist from Perth), claims to be the first winery in the area with vines first planted in 1967. There are now over 150 wineries in the region, mostly small owner managed boutique establishments. Generally, the business model is – grow grapes, make wine, sell wine to local restaurants and at the cellar door through tastings accompanied by cheese and charcuterie. Financially, many are closer to hobbies than businesses. The quality of the wines is variable but mostly good to excellent. Some vineyards have added accommodation and/or a restaurant and a number at the larger/top end (dominated by Vasse Felix, Cullen, Xanadu, Voyager and Leeuwin) make excellent wines, some of which are exported. The main grapes are Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon.
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