VISITORS to James Kellie's Western Australian Great Southern Region vineyards could be excused for thinking they are in a time warp.
It's because horses have replaced tractors - a change begun in 2016 as part of James's drive for sustainability in his Harewood Estate group vineyards, winery and infrastructure.
He says replacing tractors with horses reduces vineyard soil compaction and increases grape quality by allowing vine roots to better take up nutrients.
James uses his three horses in cultivation, weeding, sowing mixed row crops and carting fruit to the winery at vintage time.
And there are other environmental measures like using ducks to roam the vineyards and eradicate snails and running sheep to control weeds.
Harewood draws grapes from vineyards in the Frankland River, Albany, Mount Barker, Porongurup and Denmark sub-regions of Great Southern, one of the world's largest, most isolated wine areas. Inspired by the work of eminent viticulturists Californian Professor Harold Olmo and John Gladstones of the University of Western Australia, Great Southern's first wine grape vines were planted in 1965 near its largest city Albany.
Harewood has won a five red stars rating in the Halliday 2023 Wine Companion and that's endorsed by my tasting of six new releases - the $40 Apricus Hill 2022 Denmark Single-Vineyard Pinot Noir, $40 Harewood Estate 2022 FLUX-V Denmark Pinot Noir and 2022 FLUX-III Denmark Chardonnay, $20 Harewood Estate 2022 Great Southern Riesling, $35 2021 Great Southern Shiraz and $50 Harewood Estate 2020 Reserve Great Southern Cabernet Sauvignon. They are at harewood.com.au, the Denmark cellar door, and independent bottle shops
James Kellie's career began in 1994 in a Charles Sturt University wine science course, followed by a job at the university's Wagga winery. From there in 1998 he won the post of Great Southern winemaker for the Burch family's Howard Park and Madfish wines - at first seeing it as an opportunity to hone his skills for a move to Tasmania.
Things proved otherwise: Great Southern captivated James, declaring it was "as good as working in a lolly shop".
During his four-year stay at Howard Park he also made wine under contract for the Denmark-based Harewood brand - leading in 2003 to him and his wife Careena buying the business. Later a 500-tonne-crush winery was added and he and Careena in 2013 bought the 18-year-old Apricus Hill vineyard down Scotsdale Road from their Harewood Estate home.
WINE REVIEWS
JUICY PINOT NOIR
WITH 14% alcohol and bright garnet hues, the Apricus Hill 2022 Denmark Single-Vineyard Pinot Noir has scents of violets and juicy raspberry front palate flavour. The middle palate features cherry, blueberry, spice and savoury oak and a finish of chalky tannins. The Apricus name comes from the Latin for warmed by the sun.
PRICE: $40.
FOOD MATCH: roast cherry-glazed duck.
AGEING: seven years.
RATING: 4.5 stars
FLAVOURFUL FLUX-III
THIS fine Harewood Estate 2022 FLUX-III Denmark Chardonnay has jasmine scents and is green-tined straw in the glass. The front palate has elegant nectarine flavour, the middle palate loquat, honeydew melon, lime zest and vanillin oak characters and the finish refreshes with flinty acid.
PRICE: $40.
FOOD MATCH: a salad of fresh king prawns with avocado and orange dressing.
AGEING: four years.
RATING: 4.5 stars
REWARDING RESERVE
GLOWING deep purple and with 14% alcohol, this Harewood Estate 2020 Reserve Great Southern Cabernet Sauvignon brings forth potpourri aromas and plush blackberry on the front palate. The middle palate displays bramble jelly, Cherry Ripe chocolate, mint and cedary oak elements and the finish has smooth earthy tannins.
PRICE: $50.
FOOD MATCH: pork sirloin with apple sauce.
AGEING: eight years.
RATING: 5 stars
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