Tucked away by the Wilyabrup Brook in the heart of Margaret River’s most prestigious subregion, Fermoy Estate is a small, family-owned winery that has steadily built a reputation for crafting wines of refinement, precision and elegance. Founded in 1985, the first vintage was a resounding success, confirming Wilyabrup, meaning ‘place of many-coloured ochres’ or ‘northern sky’, as the sweet spot of Margaret River. With 15 hectares under vine on ancient gravel loams at 70 to 90 metres elevation, the vineyard sits just 4.5km from the Indian Ocean, its fruit ripening in conditions beautifully moderated by the maritime influence.
The estate grows predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, as well as smaller amounts of Malbec, Petit Verdot, Merlot, Shiraz and Semillon. General Manager Dave Targett oversees a small production team: Andy Keig in the vineyard has been with Fermoy since 2000, so he knows the place like the back of his hand. Jez Hodgson has headed up winemaking since 2015, whilst cellar manager Hal Campbell brings years of hands-on experience to the table. A passionate and dedicated cellar door crew complete the picture.
For Jez, what he loves most is the symbiotic relationship between the objective and subjective, the science and art of winemaking. He loves working outdoors with a natural, growing product at the whim of the season and the myriad of decisions required to get a result at the other end.
Andy Keig’s approach in the vineyard is guided by a “less is more” philosophy. “Balance is key when it comes to vine and fruit management,” he explains. ‘The more balanced we can make the fruit on the vine, the better it is when we bring it into the winery.’ This philosophy has naturally led to a strong focus on sustainability. Fermoy is now a member of Sustainable Winegrowing Australia, making conscious efforts to minimise their footprint: reducing herbicide and pesticide use, lowering tractor usage, and planting mid-row cover crops to improve soil structure, increase biodiversity and naturally suppress weeds.
Like any wine, Fermoy is a product of place. That place is a small patch of Wilyabrup, slightly elevated so that it catches the cooling sea breezes of the growing season. Ancient gravel loams drain into the Wilyabrup Brook below, sustaining 40-year-old Houghton selection Cabernet Sauvignon and Gingin clone Chardonnay vines.
