Black George

Located between Pemberton and Manjimup in the far south of Western Australia, Black George was founded by Doug and Joy Wilson in 1991. Doug is a former master mariner and was head of the state shipping service in Western Australia before retiring to pursue his interest in wine. Doug and Joy's vision is as fresh today as in 1991: namely, to produce premium wines of the highest quality through direct control of grape growing and wine production. In this their team has been further strengthened by the inclusion of daughter, Dr. Shelley Wilson, a Perth-based vet who also has a winemaking degree, as winemaker.

The estate's soils are based on deep Karri and Jarrah loams, which provide excellent drainage for the average annual rainfall of 1200mm. Located over 200m above sea level, the estate is further cooled in summer by breezes originating over the nearby Southern Ocean. Doug Wilson is full of enthusiasm for the Pemberton region. "From our experience so far, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Verdelho and Merlot will be the varieties that consistently produce good wines from the Pemberton area," he says. "The region will benefit from the development of labels gaining recognition as happened in Margaret River."