Gavin: Hello everyone, and a very warm welcome to the “What Is...?” podcast, presented by Winexel. I’m Gavin Jones, founder of Winexel. After forty years in the wine industry, I’m on a mission to help people

understand and enjoy wine in a fun, relaxed way, completely free of intimidation and snobbery. We’re here to educate and entertain. Today we’re covering one of my favourite regions, Margaret River in Western

Australia. It’s a place I’ve been fortunate enough to visit dozens of times, and it’s very close to my heart. We’ll cover where it is and its climate, go through some of the history, and look at the key grapes, the wines

they make and some tremendous food pairings. Then we’ll share some fun facts and myth-busters, and suggest some classic examples that should be readily available around the world.

Gavin: Joining me today is my good friend Chris Page. Chris is also based in Hong Kong, a former lawyer and now a highly respected wine communicator and educator at one of the top wine schools in the city. So,

Chris, where is Margaret River?

Chris: Well, it’s in a stunningly beautiful part of the world, in the south-west corner of Australia, about 300 kilometres south of Perth. It runs for about 110 kilometres, from Cape Naturaliste in the north to Cape

Leeuwin in the south, and extends about 25 kilometres inland. It’s surrounded by ocean on three sides: the Indian Ocean to the north and west, and the Southern Ocean to the south. That’s important, because it

creates unique climatic conditions for growing vines.

Chris: It’s small, but it has an enormous reputation, with about 6,000 hectares of vines. By comparison, Napa is about three times the size, and Bordeaux about 17 times. So think of it as one of Australia’s

boutique fine-wine areas, rather than one of its wine factories.

Gavin: Indeed, a real gem. Let’s talk about the climate in Margaret River.

Chris: Well, it has a Mediterranean climate with a powerful maritime influence, as you’d expect from being surrounded on three sides by ocean. The oceans create strong winds, which help cool the vineyards.

Gavin: Chris, we’ve now covered several wine regions around the world, and we normally talk about their ancient histories. Margaret River is somewhat different.

Chris: Yes, it was developed relatively recently, and not by accident. In the 1960s, Dr John Gladstones studied the area’s climate, rainfall, soils and temperature patterns, and concluded that Margaret River would

be ideal for premium grapes, especially the Bordeaux varieties.

Gavin: And back then, Margaret River was a playground for adventurous Perth families, about a five-hour drive away in those days. Otherwise it was cattle, dairy, timber and, of course, surfing.

Chris: Yes, absolutely. The first vineyards were planted in 1967, as a result of that research. The early pioneers were Vasse Felix, Moss Wood, Cullen, Leeuwin Estate and Cape Mentelle, names that are synonymous with the region today.

Gavin: Right. And we’ll mention Leeuwin Estate several times, because it really is an outstanding story. The Horgan family established Leeuwin Estate in the early 1970s, with Robert Mondavi, the icon of Napa,

involved. He visited and said, “Yes, this is it,” referring to how good the land was for premium grapes. That gave the whole region the confidence to invest and develop the industry from there. Okay, Chris, let’s talk

about the grapes grown in Margaret River.

Chris: Cabernet Sauvignon...

1. WHAT IT IS

A small, cool region in north-eastern France, 140km from Paris, with 34,000 hectares of vineyards. Only sparkling wine made here can be called Champagne, mainly from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier.

2. HOW IT TASTES

Fine bubbles, citrus and green apple, with brioche and toast notes from ageing in the bottle. Crisp and elegant.

3. THE LAND

• Montagne de Reims – mainly Pinot Noir

• Vallée de la Marne – mainly Meunier

• Côte des Blancs – mainly Chardonnay

• Côte des Bar - further south, Mainly Pinot Noir

4. HOW IT’S MADE

First fermentation – still wines are made, then blended

Second fermentation in the bottle – a little sugar and yeast create the bubbles

Riddling and disgorging – the sediment is collected in the neck, frozen and removed

Dosage – a touch of sugar sets the style, from Brut Nature (driest) through Brut to Doux (sweetest)

5. THE VILLAGES

319 villages may grow grapes for Champagne, each graded from 80% to 100%:
• Grand Cru – 17 villages, graded 100%

• Premier Cru – 42 villages, graded 90–99%

• The rest – 260 villages, graded 80–89% (Anton’s “Mötley Cru”)

6. OUR RECOMMENDED PAIRING

Serve well chilled, and open by turning the base of the bottle, not the cork.
• Oysters and shellfish – the classic match

• Fried and salty bites – tempura, even crisps

• Soft cheeses – Brie, or Chaource from Champagne itself

7. SAY IT RIGHT

Reims = “Rance”, not “Reams”.

8. IN A WORD

Celebration. The wine of every toast – and, as Madame Bollinger showed, of almost every other moment too.

1. WHAT IT IS

Spain’s most famous wine region, along the River Ebro in the north. Red Rioja is led by Tempranillo, traditionally blended with Garnacha. Look out, too, for white Rioja from Viura: fresh, textured and quietly having a revival.

2. HOW IT TASTES

Red cherry and plum when young, moving towards darker fruit as the grapes ripen. The signature is oak: vanilla, coconut and sweet spice, with leather, tobacco and dried fruit as the wine ages.

3. THE LAND

• Rioja Alta – high vineyards (around 400–800m), mostly Tempranillo; home to Haro, the main wine town

• Rioja Alavesa – the smallest and coolest sub-zone; again Tempranillo-led

• Rioja Oriental (formerly Rioja Baja) – lower, hotter and flatter, with fertile soils; more Garnacha

4. THE FOUR STYLES

• Joven / Genérico (green) – no minimum ageing; usually young, bright, lively and red-fruit driven

• Crianza (red) – two years’ ageing, at least one in oak; fruit with a touch of oak

• Reserva (burgundy) – three years’ ageing, at least one in oak; leather and tobacco appear Gran Reserva (blue) – five years’ ageing, at least two in oak; dried fruit and real complexity, usually only made in the best vintages

Look for the coloured seal on the back label – it tells you how long the wine has been aged:

5. A BIT OF HISTORY

When phylloxera hit Bordeaux in the late 1800s, many of its winemakers moved to Rioja and helped establish the 225-litre barrique. Add Spain’s access to American oak, and the classic style was born. Today over 1.3 million barrels lie aging here.

6. OUR RECOMMENDED PAIRING

Match the wine to the weight of the food:

7. SAY IT RIGHT

Rioja = “ree-OH-ha.” The Spanish “j” sounds like a soft, breathy “h”.

8. IN A WORD

Time. Rioja is the wine that does the ageing for you – and the label tells you exactly how long.