Blackwood Valley
The forested valley of the Blackwood River running east from Bridgetown toward Boyup Brook: one of WA's most tucked-away wine regions, where Shiraz, Cabernet, and Riesling are grown on karri loam soils by producers who chose this valley for its quiet and stayed for what the terroir gave them.
Experiences
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We are continually curating new experiences. Check back shortly as we expand our presence in this region.
The Dossier
Blackwood Valley is centred on Bridgetown, 270km south of Perth: about 2 hours 45 minutes via the South Western Highway. Bridgetown is a charming heritage town on the Blackwood River; the surrounding jarrah and karri forests give the approach roads a beauty that the Margaret River Highway doesn't match. Cellar doors are spread across a wide area; this is not a tight circuit region but a destination for those who like their wine touring with solitude built in. It pairs naturally with Manjimup to the south or Geographe to the north.
Harvest runs March through May: the forests and the valley's elevation keep temperatures cooler than the coastal regions and extend the growing season. Autumn is the most beautiful season in the Blackwood: the changing leaves of the introduced deciduous trees around Bridgetown, combined with the harvest activity in the vineyards, make for one of the most photogenic wine touring windows in WA. Spring (September to October) brings wildflowers through the forest; summer is warm but never oppressively hot.
Shiraz from the Blackwood Valley has a forest-floor earthiness and spice that reflects the cool, elevated growing conditions: more restrained than Margaret River Shiraz and with a structural backbone that suits the cellar. Riesling and Chardonnay from the cooler sites are well-regarded by WA wine insiders. The producers here are a small and committed group; visiting tends to be an intimate experience. The Blackwood River itself, the heritage railway at Bridgetown, and the surrounding forest drives give the region a completeness that rewards visitors who slow down.