The Great Southern Wine Region: Exploring Porongurup Terroir
Singlefile Wines turns the spotlight on Porongurup: a Great Southern subregion producing pure and precise expressions of riesling and pinot noir worthy of global recognition.
As a part of the largest wine region in the world, Porongurup, the smallest and most remote of the five subregions of the Great Southern, plays no minor part in the region's story. It has earned a reputation for producing world-class wines characterised by their purity, precision, and distinctive minerality. Wines that speak powerfully to the elegance and depth of the greater region, with their own distinct character.
The ancient Porongurup Range, which dates back over a billion years, and its surrounding national park sets the tone for this atmospheric corner of the Great Southern. Here serenity is expansive and opportunities to take scenic trails and witness majestic views are available at every turn. Spanning 12 kilometres and rising 670 metres, the range not only provides a dramatic backdrop to the surrounding vineyards but also deeply influences the subregion’s terroir, affecting everything from the soil to the microclimate— expressed through the wines that originate here.
Nestled on the northern slopes of the Porongurup Range, its vineyards produce fruit of remarkable purity, with a concentration only expected to deepen as the vines continue to age.
Porongurup Terroir
Within its ancient setting, Porongurup as a wine producing region is still relatively young. Wine grape production in Porongurup kicked off in the late 1970s following its first plantings of riesling and cabernet sauvignon. As a wine subregion, Porongurup gained official recognition as part of the Great Southern Geographical Indication (GI) region of WA in 1999, a designation acknowledging it is a defined area with unique qualities to contribute to the greater region's wine quality and reputation. Looking back, riesling took immediately to Porongurup's distinctive conditions. Its introduction was somewhat of a Cinderella moment: the ideal fit.
Characterised by its high altitude, with vineyards situated at elevations between 200 to 400 metres above sea level, Porongurup experiences a cooler growing environment compared with surrounding subregions. Along with increased sunlight exposure, the ideal conditions are offered for the slow ripening and acidity retention needed for riesling capable of depth.
The region's moderate Mediterranean climate coupled with a continental temperature range — cool, mild winters and warm, sunny summers — is further moderated by nocturnal thermal zones unique to the range. These thermal zones, coupled with the range's elevation, create beneficial airflow and drainage vital for vine health, encouraging fruit to stay longer on vine and develop in flavour.
Deep karri loams are supported by the range’s ancient granite foundations, contributing to the distinctive minerality and elegance found in Porongurup wines. The well-draining soil works to stress the vines, forcing roots to grow deeper, ultimately leading to lower yields but more flavourful fruit.
This unique set of conditions have paved the way for Porongurup riesling to achieve world-class quality, celebrated for its steely minerality, freshness, and ageing potential.
While riesling is undoubtedly the most renowned of the region, it is certainly not the only variety that thrives here. Experimentation among viticulturalists and winemakers has proven chardonnay also benefits from the conditions that encourage slow, even ripening for complexity and elegance. And, in more recent years, pinot noir has charged through the gates like a dark horse — proving an increasingly popular variety well-suited to Porongurup's cool climate and high-altitude environment.
Porongurup within Singlefile’s Story
Singlefile Wines is a firm believer that the Great Southern, the world’s largest wine region, is unique in its ability to produce a wide range of world-class, classic varietals. This belief has become the cornerstone of its philosophy around winemaking, driving its mission to produce the purest expressions of the region’s terroir.
“To make a great wine, it only makes sense to start with the best fruit. But before all else, it starts with the site,” says Singlefile co-founder and managing director Patrick Corbett.
“We believe the only way to truly show the best of what the Great Southern has to offer is to work across exceptional sites from each of its subregions and ensure the choices we make in the vineyards do justice to the terroir.”
Singlefile’s Single Vineyard Porongurup Pinot Noir and Limited Release ‘The Pamela’ Porongurup Riesling are clear examples of this ethos in bottle. Both wines have been crafted using fruit from the same carefully selected site where mature riesling and pinot noir vines thrive.
“The two most challenging varieties to grow are riesling and pinot noir,” says Patrick. “They both enjoy cool climate conditions but, in many cases, that comes with rain. This can be problematic for pinot noir's delicate, thin skins, which are easily split; and for riesling which can be susceptible to disease pressures.
“The attraction to the Porongurup subregion is the site is located northeast of the Porongurup Range, a position where elevation and the range’s rain shadow keep the grapes dry and frost-free despite the cool conditions required for acid-retention.”
Singlefile’s Single Vineyard Porongurup Pinot Noir captures the essence of its Porongurup terroir. A minimum intervention winemaking approach is employed, allowing the fruit to fully express its delicate and complex subregional character. Subtle oak and whole bunch fermentation produce an elegant, refined wine made from small parcels of concentrated fruit. Due to the small production, this wine is available exclusively to Singlefile’s Collector and Appreciator wine club members, and for special selections.
Similarly, ‘The Pamela’ is available in limited quantities due to the small parcels of fruit grown at the site. Winemaking choices focus on simply preserving the delicate flavours and aromas from the fruit and allowing the vineyard’s sense of place to shine through.
What makes Porongurup riesling so special, says Patrick, is its dual nature. “They show lovely floral notes, lime, and a subtle chalk character, though also a great intensity through the finish, which seems to come so effortlessly. Both poised and pretty, they have length to indicate the fruit has the power required for ageing but are also beautiful to drink in their youth.”
Porongurup Wines of Critical Acclaim
Singlefile Wines has consistently gained positive critical acclaim for its single varietal Porongurup expressions, one of several among the subregion’s producers to contribute to its reputation for quality over quantity. Notable accolades and rave reviews for Porongurup expressions have been garnered consistently by industry leaders like Castle Rock and Dukes, whose wines have called for the acknowledgement the subregion deserves.
In 2019, Duke's Magpie Hill 2017 Reserve Riesling made history as the first white wine to score 99 points out of 100 from James Halliday and later won Best Riesling at the 2022 Sydney Royal Wine Show. Castle Rock Estate, known for its exceptional rieslings and pinot noirs, earned Best Museum Wine at the 2023 Wine Show of Western Australia for its 2008 Riesling.
Rich with Opportunity
The Porongurup subregion, with its unique combination of ancient soils, cool climate, and high-altitude environment, offers a distinctive terroir that is perfect for producing exceptional cool-climate wines. The region's small scale belies its impact on the wine world through its impressive examples of riesling, pinot noir and chardonnay.
Singlefile Wines continues to explore new possibilities within the Porongurup subregion. The team is constantly considering the potential for introducing new grape varieties and working with landowners to explore innovative viticultural practices.
“Our view is the Great Southern journey is still very much in its infancy and so there is still opportunity to explore where and what we can produce,” says Patrick.