A Hidden Gem: IronCloud Wines

While Margaret River gets all the glory, the Western Australian region of Geographe is a hidden gem well worth discovering.

A daytrip from Perth at just two hours drive south, Geographe has a stunning coastline framed by rolling hills. It was these features that no doubt attracted French explorer Nicholas Boudin who chanced upon the area in 1802. In fact, the region is named after his boat, Le Geographe. Before Boudin arrived, the Noongar people had lived in harmony with the natural environment for around 45,000 years.

It’s the proximity to the ocean that makes Geographe such a fantastic grape growing area with the cooling afternoon sea breezes from Geographe Bay ensuring a long stable growing season.

The wine lists of Geographe are filled with diverse styles from boutique wineries who create wines with regional distinction. When these wines appear in front of the Wine Selectors Tasting Panel, they’re met with great praise, with the more they taste, the more they are convinced of the premium status of the Geographe region.

Some examples of the local star varieties are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz, Malbec, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, plus alternatives Arneis, Chenin Blanc, Tempranillo and Nebbiolo.

Ironclad Quality

One of the producers that consistently impresses the Panel is Ironcloud. As Tasting Panellist Adam Walls says, “The wines from the past few vintages have shown the quality of Ironcloud’s vineyard and the considered nature of their winemaking talent.” In fact, he considers the Ironcloud Rock of Solitude Purple Patch GSM to be “one of the best Grenache blends in all of WA!”

Ideally situated for producing outstanding fruit, Ironcloud Estate calls the picturesque Ferguson Valley home. Nestled in the hills overlooking Geographe Bay, their vines were established in 1999 in highly prized red gravelly loam soils and were planted north to south on gently sloping hillsides to optimise their growing conditions.

A single vineyard covering 28 acres, it comprises hand-tended Grenache, Shiraz, Mouvedre, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. At Ironcloud, they aim to produce wines that capture a unique sense of terroir in every bottle and draw inspiration from the great wines of the world. Their winemaking philosophy is to make the best possible wine from the finest grapes.