Establishing Vasse Felix in Margaret River - By Dr Tom B Cullity
PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION
The dominant features of the South West climate are contained in the meteorological publication "Climatological Survey - South West Australia" published in 1965 by the Commonwealth Bureau of Meteorology. Suffice to say that the temperature records are largely derivative and small rainfall micro-climates not exactly known, although this latter is of little significance. I worked on the belief that I had to back some particular notion and worked on the assumption that Olmo's and Gladstones' indications of a favourable climate were correct, and that well-drained soil, with small gravel, growing large red-gums and little jarrah, was the ideal situation. These criteria are widely known in Western Australia and probably originate from Despeissis - see his classical "The Handbook of Horticulture and Viticulture", (my edition 1921).
I now know that all this is largely true. On the other hand the wine produced in the area from many variations of these soil types does not seem to display characters associated with the different soils. This is a bold statement as there are many other variables. It will be interesting to see what the future shows.
My guess is that a south-east slope is important, to avoid the continuous westerlies which affect spring growth particularly at flowering time; also that the unclouded sky is more significant than was realised and that south of Margaret River more cloudy conditions, (causing lower vine temperature among other things), should lead to longer and slower ripening and more elegant wine.
I did not know this at the time. I was a busy physician, could get away most weekends, and used to rise about 3am, leave Perth in a Peugeot 403 down the inland road, (before the coast road was sealed), and spend the weekend looking for suitable available land south of Busselton. Over the next few years I averaged this 600 kilometre return trip more than once a fortnight, starting work on the vineyard at about 8am and returning to Perth late on Sunday night. I spent all my holidays there, usually alone.
I had never been south of Bunbury in my life, had no practical bent, had never changed a car tyre, did not know what a weed was and knew nothing about vines or wine-making. The only contact I had was with Kevin and Diana Cullen who were old friends. If I had known the problems presented to an ignorant and possibly obsessed person like myself in a small close community I doubt whether I would have persisted.
The Cullens were a haven as they delighted in ideas, in change, and in "progress", and although it was doubtful at that time whether table-wine meant anything to them, they read Gladstones' article with interest when I gave it to them, and were pleased that such things were said to be possible in their bailiwick.
They offered me food and occasional lodging, an extensive knowledge of the whole area and its personalities, encouragement, and somebody helpful to talk to about the idea. Without this I would have floundered. Later Bill and Sandra Pannell were equally towers of strength and hospitality. Bill told me later that he almost resented me trying to start a vineyard as he had had the idea of doing it for some time and it was only the start of a medical career that held him back.
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Vasse Felix, about August, 1967, Geoff Juniper and Tom Cullity just before planting.
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I remember visiting John Fornachon of the Wine Research Institute in Adelaide, at this time, just before he died, to seek his opinion. I can still see him looking at me in a detached and tolerant sort of way and saying "Goodbye. Come back with some wine in four years and we'll see".
With the help of my new friends' and acquaintances' contacts I spent the winter digging holes with an auger on various apparently suitable properties. The reason for this was to make sure that the soil was well-drained, the annual rainfall being 50 inches, and the notion being that spring water-logging would be a threat on unsuitable soils. My idea at the time was to buy a small area, plant no more than one acre, and that this had to be convenient to a farmer who would work with me, accept payment and perform this novel operation faithfully at the behest of somebody like myself whose only knowledge was what he had read in books or been told by "experts". It was idealistic, poorly conceived logistically, and in an area where it was common to see people with bright ideas founder. About 5% of new agricultural developments take root. Obviously I had to travel up and down and insist on detail and somebody had to be prepared to do it. The attitude suitable to intensive agriculture and critical wine-making procedures is foreign to the instincts of people who graze cattle and milk.
Eventually, helped by the introduction of the Cullens, I bought 8 acres of land from Bill Osborne, Sussex location 1669; four years later 4 acres by conditional purchase of the adjoining gravel-pit and two years later 14 acres adjoining. The average price of this land, fenced and under pasture, was about 150 dollars per hectare.
In August 1967 after site and soil preparation contouring, laying out of vine rows, etc, about 4 acres of Riesling, 2 of Cabernet Sauvignon, half of Malbec and half of Hermitage were planted by myself, Tony, Joe and Dominic Rossi. The cuttings were from the department of Agriculture cool store, from Swan Valley vines, treated against nematodes but not clonally selected. They were not rooted cuttings yet 99% of them took. Prior to this, I think at the instigation of the Cullens, Bill Minchin planted half an acre in the Vasse in 1966 and Geoff Juniper put in half an acre, the same year, which Della Vanzo and I actually planted. These vines perished due to trauma from spraying. Minchins made wine from their patch in 1970. I do not know whether they still do. (P.S. Bill Minchin told me that he did make wine until 1976, and that this latter wine was excellent.) |
The first vine, 1967 August, Riesling. Naturally watered by Jack Mann - it flourished.
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