About
EST. 1978
Organically Farmed
100% Estate Grown & Made
Wines of Place
Our Patch of Margaret River
Nestled by the Indian Ocean in cool Stevens Valley, Margaret River, lies an ancient patch of gravel loam earth that we call Voyager Estate, where ocean breeze tempers the south western sun to yield fine vintages unlike any other.
Voyager Estate embodies a 40-year legacy of family, adventure and sustainability. Yet perhaps above all, it is an expression of its place - a wild corner of the West Australian landscape that is as beguiling as it is remote. Surrounded by ocean on three sides the aspect, microclimate, consistent maritime influence and our ancient soils are the foundations of our distinct style.
(Image: Margaret River Coastline - Voyager Estate / www.voyagerestate.com.au)
Our Craft, Our Wine
We work with nature as much as possible, believing that farming with organic practices builds healthy and active soil biodiversity, allowing our vines to flourish now and for future generations.
We nurture living soils with healthy nutrients and deep vine-root systems, so they can continue to produce world-class wines and mark their place in Australian vinicultural history.
Our winemaking is a continuation of this ‘hands off ’ and organic approach to viticulture. We want people to taste the vineyard when they drink our wines: the soils, the local flora and the purity of fruit that our land delivers. To achieve this, we are as gentle as possible during the winemaking process.
(Image: Voyager Estate / www.voyagerestate.com.au)
A True Original
Michael J Wright, the man with the vision for Voyager Estate, was a farmer above all else. He loved the land, and he loved sharing the produce from his little patch of the world.
Every crease of his boots reflected every inch of his passion. He was meticulous in setting up our vineyards. He did all the soil profiling himself at a density five times greater than the norm.
He sought and found both quality and uniformity – beautiful red gravelly loam over a rich clay base in a well-formed patchwork of blocks across the property.
His obsession with bringing the character of these great soils to the surface through wine growing was a key factor in creating what has become our most prized vineyard blocks today, which form the core of the MJW wines.
Michael ensured that everything he touched did justice to our beautiful place in Stevens Valley. He fostered this focus and vision in our people and it is most fitting that this iconic wine is named in honour of him - a truly original wine, honouring a true original.
(Image: Michael J Wright - Voyager Estate / www.voyagerestate.com.au)
Voyager MJW Release
2022 MJW Chardonnay
Variety: 100% Chardonnay
Alc/Vol: 13.0%
Harvested: 22 February 2022
Vineyard: Broadvale Block 5 - Gingin clone
Soil: Extremely gravelly, high granite content & stony, clay base
Organic: Certified organic
Oak: French oak, 9 months, 37% new
Cellaring: Up to 15 years
Colour: Pale straw
Nose: Complex, grilled macadamia, wood smoke, lime zest
Palate: Racy, bright, lemon, burnt butter, tight linear finish
Food Match: Oysters with ponzu and finger lime dressing
Vintage
A cool start to the season delayed flowering and slowed early vine growth, but by late December our organic farming practices had the vineyard well placed for another stellar vintage. Healthy canopies kept the grapes cool through summer and preserved the freshness beautifully. Harvest finished up in early April, with the whites showing purity of fruit and incredible vitality.
Method
Gingin clone chardonnay from the western slope of Broadvale Block 5 was hand harvested and whole bunch pressed, before natural yeast fermentation in french oak barriques. Bâtonnage occurred monthly, until blending in November 2022 and bottling in January 2023.
“One of our best certified organic blocks, planted to the Gingin clone, produces a Chardonnay of incredible drive and focus, lightness and presence, transparency and allure. The ultimate expression of our place, crafted in honour of our founder.”
- Tim Shand, Chief Winemaker
Review by Mathew Dukes
"My favourite Voyager wine of all time, this is a glorious paean to the great Chardonnay grape and Voyager’s finest plot of vines. Sensitively handled and graciously regal, this alluring wine sets the course for this Voyager’s future."
2020 MJW Cabernet Sauvignon
Variety: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Alc/Vol: 14.5%
Harvested: 25 March to 31 March 2020
Vineyard: V9 Old Block, U12 North Block (Houghton clone)
Soil: Uniform stony, gravelly soils with clay subsoils
Organic: Certified organic
Oak: Fine-grained French oak, 18 months, 49% new
Cellaring: 20 + years
Colour: Dark garnet
Nose: Ripe blackberry, violets, anise, roasted sage
Palate: Dark, brambly, vanilla, powdery tannins, great length
Food Match: Dry-aged Wagyu, blackberry balsamic, purple beans
Vintage
A near-perfect growing season with a warm and dry spring providing excellent conditions for flowering. One of our warmest Decembers on record, advancing fruit development. A slightly milder January was perfect for steady ripening, which led to an early red harvest. The fruit was picked in exceptional condition, with intense colour and concentration supported by fine, silky tannins.
Method
Hand-harvested fruit was de-stemmed to retain as many whole berries as possible then fermented separately in open and upright fermenters with regular, gentle pump overs or plunging. Parcels were pressed separately to barrel for maturation over 18 months in fine-grained French oak, prior to bottling in October 2021.
“The ultimate expression of cabernet from our Stevens valley soils. The blend of certified organic fruit from two unique sites, old block and north block, crafts a wine of extraordinary poise, power and presence, year after year.”
- Tim Shand, Chief Winemaker
Gold Medal and 95 points at the IWSC competition in 2023
James Suckling 93 points - Silver