Marchand & Burch Wines

The Great Southern is Australia’s largest delineated wine region by area, stretching nearly 200 kilometres both north-to-south and east-to-west along the isolated south coast of Western Australia. Only a very small portion of this larger area is under vine, the remainder being occupied by forest or farmland unsuitable for viticulture. To bring some vinous focus to its vast remoteness, the five main wine producing areas have been officially classified into subregions.

The Mount Barker and Porongurup subregions are of primary importance for Marchand and Burch’s production of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. These two adjacent areas lie 40 kilometres north of the Southern Ocean, with a cool maritime climate strongly influenced by the inland movement of cold ocean air. This moderates the temperature during the growing season, allowing for longer ripening and the development of complex flavour profiles, which then translate from grape to wine.

The vineyards in both these subregions lie above some of the world’s oldest recorded geology, and imposing granite outcrops are a signature feature. With very little soil disturbance or erosion over many centuries even the soil material itself is highly distinctive. This striking contrast with Burgundy was particularly meaningful and exciting for Pascal Marchand and he convinced Jeff to focus their collaborative energy on these vineyards in the pursuit of an ultimate expression of “new world” terroir.

Ray Jordan Marchand & Burch Wine Reviews HERE