Albany

The city of Albany is the oldest European settlement in Western Australia and is the major centre of the Great Southern. Albany and its surrounding area is renowned for stunning scenery and excellent agricultural produce.

Vines were established in the Albany sub-region in the late 1970s, with the plantings at a Redmond vineyard. The establishment of Wignalls Wines, just north of Albany in 1982, followed.

Today, the majority of vineyards in the subregion are family-operated businesses with a total area of vines of approximately 70 hectares.

The Wines

Albany wine is produced in a broadly Mediterranean climate featuring wet/cool winters and warm/dry summers with a sea breeze off the ocean.

The daily temperature range is minimal, with moderate levels of humidity during summer reducing stress on the vines and assisting with ripening. Soils are generally lateritic, gravelly sand loams or sandy loams derived from gneissic bedrocks.

Both white and red varieties grow strongly with established varieties include Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Shiraz. More inland areas of the subregion are developing a reputation for fine Riesling.