Porongurup. Ancient geology and unique bushland.
With a superbly lyrical name like Porongurup, this subregion comes with high expectations, and they are met on all counts.
The Porongurup Range is located east of Mount Barker with a National Park at the heart of the subregion. The range is only 12 kilometres long and 670 metres high, but features a luxuriant forest of giant karri trees and an understorey that puts on a brilliant display of wildflowers during spring and early summer. The range offers fantastic views of the Stirling Range to the north.
Now around 10 vineyards bask on the sunny northern slopes of the range in a climate well suited to cool climate viticulture.
Porongurup boasts a special climatic feature - a nocturnal thermal zone created by warm air rising above the denser cold air sliding down the hillsides and settling on the valley floor. This ‘air drainage’ produces ideal conditions for ripening and reduces the risk of frosts.
The Porongurup’s spectacular geomorphic granite range creates a variety of soil types, with karri loams and well drained loamy gravels the most productive.
The Porongurup’s reputation as a producer of distinctive cool climate wines, especially Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, continues to grow and many boutique producers source fruit from here.
Shiraz, Cabernet, Sauvignon Blanc are also produced with success and trials to find other varieties that may suit the conditions continue.