FRUITWISE, the 2009 Vintage could not have presented better producing some of our best wines! Unfortunately, the Global credit crisis resulted in many clients deferring their plans and in some cases reducing their wine intake.

Retail customers too, including tourists trimed their budgets to the extent that our boutique winery has had to rethink prices and business strategy. We kept the faith with our customers and friends producing the 2009 portfolio and what good wine it is too! But some activities such as an export service will be continued.

A SHORT HISTORY

Unlike new vineyard areas in Western Australia – the Swan Valley has a history of viticulture as Peter and Paula Hoffman, and sons Paul and Thomas discovered when they purchased their property at Baskerville in 1989.

All about the district remained the relics of the days when returned soldiers, miners and interstaters took up allotments on the former estates of “Herne Hill”, "Millendon", and "Baskerville" in the 1920's.

The old trellises still carried the heritage of old winemaking endeavours and a reasonably large winery operated from this and adjoining lots in the 1950’s. The family sought to revive the old viticulture’s traditions that allowed Oscar Boghesi to make wines locally and for the most part with the same vines!

TRADITIONAL REGIONAL STYLE

The old viticultural traditions brought to the Swan by earlier migrant families, while having some merit for their time, could only benefit from the latest technology of stainless steel storage and temperature controlled fermentation.

This was demonstrated by the quality of the first vintage in 1999 when five bronze awards were won including an award for best Chenin! These wines are the best of the Swan's regional varieties, delicate Chenin white table wines, light rosy Grenaches and easy drinking Shiraz!

The Swan is renowned for its fortifieds, the quality of which is maintained by Swan Valley Wines’ Ports uniquely fashioned from original grapevines grown in the old dry farming method.

Vineyard Area – 6 ha. Planted to 2.3 ha. Chenin Blanc. – 1.4 ha. Grenache balance to Semillon, Shiraz and Chardonnay.