The area that surrounds Pemberton and Manjimup is fast developing into one of our state’s most promising wine regions. Scoop brought together a panel of experts from the local vineyards to uncover the reasons for its unbridled success and taste some of the regions finest drops.

The area that surrounds Pemberton and Manjimup has always been rich in agricultural diversity. From the small fruit and vegetable farms established by European migrants at the start of last century to the thriving timber industry of the mid-1900’s, the region has been a strong contributor to our state’s economic growth and prosperity.

As with many of the wine regions south of Perth, vineyards were originally established around Pemberton and Manjimup as the timber industry diminished and competition in the fruit and vegetable industry grew. It was the influence of Dr John Gladstone’s work in the mid-70’s, describing the area encompassing Pemberton as having characteristics similar to the French region of Burgundy, which led to the Department of Agriculture planting vines on their research station in 1977. In turn the trial’s success led to the establishment of a number of vineyards during the mid-80’s. Today there are over 60 vineyards and over 30 established wine labels in the region with the number growing each vintage.

Today there are around 14 winemakers in the region, and as diversification continues in and around Pemberton and Manjimup, the cellar door trail will, no doubt, continue to grow. Interest in the region has intensified over the last few vintages with several wines gaining significant wine show success.

With the oldest vines in the area no more than 20 years old and the majority less than ten years old, varietal suitability is only just beginning to show. Gladstone suggested that Chardonnay and Pinot Noir would ideally suited, particularly around Pemberton. Houghton’s senior winemaker Larry Cherubino would concur with this suggestion, remarking, “Margaret River has previously dominated Chardonnay in WA but Pemberton is that much cooler and I think, in time the reputation of Pemberton as a white wine producing region will increase”.

Bill Pannell is one of the few people in the industry who has had pioneering experience in both Margaret River and Pemberton, establishing Moss Wood and Picardy respectively. “There is not much doubt that Pemberton/Manjimup is progressing at a faster rate than more established regions were at the same point in time based specifically on vine age,” he explains. “The young vines are performing very well. I believe that vine age is particularly important in cool climate regions, as it has tended to allow greater individuality in varieties”.

Chardonnay has already produced exciting results in both Pemberton and Manjimup, showing an interesting range of diverse qualities. BRL Hardy and Domaine Chandon have, over the years, sourced Chardonnay for use in their sparkling wines, while many producers including Moss Wood, Fonty’s Pool, Picardy and Houghtons have received acclaim for their still wine examples. Patrick Couttes says the last few vintages have produced wines with fabulous natural acidity and texture.

However Dan Pannell, winemaker at Picardy, comments: “Picardy experience has shown that Pemberton doesn’t handle oak very well, you need to carefully monitor the amount of oak you are using and allow the fruit to express itself”. Most of the winemakers agree the better expression of Chardonnays from the region don’t allow the primary fruit to dominate, allowing for secondary complex fruits with natural acidity to sit in harmony. All agree Chardonnay will continue to shine in the region.

Bill Pannell best describes the Pinot Noir grown in the region: “ Without doubt vine age is the most significant factor with Pinot. In Burgundy they don’t talk quality until the vines are 40 years old. As the oldest Pinot vines in the region were only planted in 1983 we still have quite a way to go. The variety will always be vintage specific and yields need to be kept low to obtain the maximum flavour profile”.

Drawing together impressions from the tasting, all agree the excellent quality of wine coming out of Pemberton and Manjimup will continue to improve as its young vines mature. While the region may not yet be as established as the neighbouring Margaret River and Great Southern, the wine being produced here is every bit as deserving of attention, ensuring the region will play a prominent role in the future of the state’s wine industry.

Picardy Merlot Cabernet 1999 $36

This is another example of the blending qualities within the region. It is artfully pieced together to reveal some delightful damson and bramble fruits on the nose, while the palate shows strength with gripping tannins in tune with oak use and a degree of vibrancy. By their own admission, future vintages will further improve this wine as the vines begin to settle in for the long haul and mature. 88/100

Picardy Chardonnay 2001 $30

There is no secret that the Pannells are passionate about Burgundy and both Bill and Dan forever aim for the flavours of Burgundy within their Chardonnay, going as far as importing specific clones into Australia. Much like their reds, this fantastic Chardonnay will continue to evolve over the next decade. This vintage shows some funky aromatics with a citrus and stone fruit palate that has a lot of punch on the finish. 90/100