HISTORY | THE PEOPLE | VARIETIES | LOCATION

After early searches for good vineyard land in the Margaret River area in early 1997, Jeff and Kerry Ovens identified this little piece of paradise in the Ferguson Valley just south of Dardanup as the site for their vineyard and winery. The property was purchased from Jock Johnson after more than a hundred years as a dairy farm.

Jeff soon found willing partners in the Stacey and Hewitt families and they set about planning the vineyard with the aim of producing top quality wines (over long lunches overlooking the property's dam). Longtime mates from university days, the partners passion for good red wine was becoming too expensive to service with the only answer to make their own,….Stupid us.

Our only justification now is "quality of life"… "the pleasure of producing something worth its weight in gold" knowing that it also costs as much.

Rounding up their many friends from the city the partners set about planting the initial 15,000 rootlings (8 Ha) in September 1998.

Our friends worked feverishly over one weekend to plant 5,000 with the remainder planted under contract. Losses were minimal (<1%) with the majority of the losses arising in the first 3 rows planted by Jeff, Michael and Ron before every one else arrived. - must have been poor stock!

Further areas of Shiraz Semillon, Verdelho, Petit Verdot and Mondeuse have since been planted bringing the total plantings to nearly 12 Ha.

Victor Bertola working under contract to the vineyard has been fantastic in developing the plantings and progressing their maturity. In these early years the majority of the fruit will go to BRL Hardy Limited and a small amount made and sold under the Hackersley label.

Our new restaurant and barrel store provides the Ferguson Valley with a top quality tasting and eating experience. Check out the Restaurant page on the main menu.