LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Wanderlust is afoot. In spite of the world’s difficulties, people are on the move, whether it be for work, family or play. We think we are far from everywhere, yet Margaret River feels like its own little nexus for those journeying across the continent and the globe and we cross paths with some fascinating folk. Something about our region has always lured travellers, professionals and sea-changers to explore and, in many cases, settle down here. Something, or some things.
This is reflected in the diversity of our own team with staff hailing from France, Italy, Korea, United Kingdom, Germany, Taiwan, Estonia, The Netherlands, Brazil, Vietnam, Japan and Spain. In 2024 alone, we have had five New Zealanders join us, four of them in our production team. Given the beauty and wine heritage of New Zealand, we take that as a big compliment on behalf of Margaret River. They could work anywhere! (That said, I’ve subsequently discovered that our great biscuit selection in the vineyard office may be playing a role…)
In a more fluid fashion, our customers and special guests are joining us from all over to soak in the rejuvenating benefits of our sparkling, salty air. They are taking time, that most precious of modern commodities, to enjoy the generosity of our vinous and culinary delights, alongside all the other extraordinary ingredients that make Margaret River a place of rich, deep culture and exquisite natural beauty.
As we continue to welcome visitors to our Margaret River cellar door, getting out into the world ourselves to meet and reconnect with our customers, partners and friends is just as important. We know it’s not an everyday event to come to Margaret River for most people, so we love the chance to bring Margaret River to the world. In particular, we are thrilled to welcome our Fold members to sold-out events across the country throughout the year. These intimate gatherings give our members the chance to get more from every glass with the expert guidance of our team. What makes them so special is the conviviality that our Fold members bring with them, full of questions and experiences to share, and a like-minded spirit often anchored in their previous visits to our region. It’s a chance to step back into Margaret River for a delicious moment.
Nothing beats bringing people together to break bread and drink wine. Our collective wanderlust enables us to do so in any place or fashion you can imagine. For those of you whose wanderlust is bringing you in our direction, whether at cellar door or one of our outpost events, we can’t wait to see you. We may even open up the vineyard biscuit jar by special request!
Thank you all for your support and we wish you a fabulous 2025.
ALEXANDRA BURT PROPRIETOR
TEXT MICHELLE MCMANUS
PHOTOGRAPHY GAVIN CRAWCOUR
NATURE’S COMEBACK
AS WE LOOK TOWARD A LOWER CARBON FUTURE, HEAD OF SUSTAINABILITY, MICHELLE MCMANUS, SHARES THE LATEST INITIATIVE DRIVING OUR ENVIRONMENTAL EFFORTS FORWARD.
In 2022, Voyager Estate joined the first round of the Australian Government’s Carbon and Biodiversity Pilot Program. This program focuses on planting a diverse array of local trees and shrubs that not only remove carbon from the atmosphere but also provide habitat and other ecological benefits to the surrounding environment.
As a result of our acceptance to this program, we initiated a revegetation project on our own farmland, known as our ‘Carbon and Biodiversity Project’. The site was planted in the winter of 2023 and involved the spreading of 30 kilograms of seed, as well as the establishment of 13,000 new seedlings over more than 15 hectares.
In addition to bolstering biodiversity, the project is also registered through the Australian Government’s Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF). In simple terms, this means that the carbon ‘drawdown’ (or reduction) from the trees and shrubs we plant is verified by a third party and generates something called ‘carbon credits’. These credits can be legally sold under the scheme. However, at Voyager Estate, we will use them to offset our emissions.
We sat down with our Head of Sustainability, Michelle McManus, to delve into the intricacies and impact of this ambitious new green endeavour.
HOW DO YOU PLAN FOR A BIG REVEGETATION INITIATIVE LIKE THIS?
You get people involved who know what they’re doing! We have some good skills for planning and managing revegetation projects internally, but for larger projects like this we partner with Cape Life, a local revegetation specialist.
All revegetation projects follow a similar path—you look at the site conditions and things like slope, soil type and wetter areas versus drier areas. This helps to plan ‘what will go where’, in terms of selecting suitable species. We selected this site because it was adjacent to an existing high-value area of native vegetation, and it would provide an ecological corridor of sorts, while still keeping paddocks on either side. We think it’s really important to show that revegetation projects can sit nicely alongside agricultural land uses like grazing and viticulture.
WHO ELSE WAS INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT?
As part of the Pilot Program, South West Natural Resource Management (South West NRM) were on hand to provide support to landholders—they helped us to understand the ERF requirements to prepare a Revegetation Plan, and were a great sounding board—as you can imagine, there’s a lot to get your head around! The Pilot also included great support from the Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
HOW
MANY SPECIES DID YOU PLANT AND HOW LONG DID IT TAKE?
We’re aiming to reflect the natural type of vegetation already in Margaret River. In that sense, the selection is made for us. We are looking to plant seed collected within about 40 kilometres of our site. If that’s not possible, then it’s as close to that as we can get. Over four weeks, the site was prepared, and more than 32 kilograms of seed was hand-cast by the Cape Life team—that’s over 30 different species! These included a variety of Acacias, Bull Banksia, the beloved Marri, Jarrah, Blackbutt and Peppermint, along with small shrubs and climbers like Hardenbergia. To assist Cape Life, we also held our own planting day, where members of the Voyager team planted seedlings on the property. Surprisingly, the installation of the fencing was one of the most challenging aspects, as there was so much area to cover. We did most of it ourselves, with some initial training and support from Cape to Cape Fencing, our local fencing contractor.
WHAT WERE THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PLANTING DAY WITH OUR TEAM?
The weather was gloomy (but thankfully not rainy) that morning. We focused on one of the wetter patches of land and our small but mighty team planted 500 seedlings. The idea is to keep adding more seedlings to this over time. I love being able to give people the opportunity to step away from their main role for a morning, get out in nature, talk about plants and soil, and experience a change of pace while doing good work. We definitely deserved that Margaret River Bakery morning tea! The main instruction was to “mix up the plants and don’t plant too many of the same thing close to one another.” I had a chuckle walking through the site recently—there are a few Leeuwin Wattles suspiciously grouped together. We’ve since done a second round, planting another 500 seedlings in the ground.
WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF REVEGETATION PROJECTS LIKE THIS IN ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE?
There are two key ‘levers’ we need to pull to address climate change. We need to reduce emissions in the first place (from fossil fuels and burning forests), and to help more atmospheric emissions be absorbed into the soil, trees and oceans as stored carbon. Restoration and biodiversity projects that revegetate landscapes assist with the latter. Our project is estimated to store over 8,000 tonnes of carbon over 25 years.
By the way, when we protect natural areas and restore biodiversity with new plantings that are well-managed over time, there are additional benefits too. Habitats for wildlife, cleaner water, rehydrated landscapes and healthier soils, just to name a few.
HOW DOES THIS PROJECT FIT INTO VOYAGER ESTATE’S BROADER SUSTAINABILITY MISSION?
Over the last couple of years, we have been focusing on how we can reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. In 2019, we measured our emissions output to establish a baseline. By 2030, we’re aiming to reduce these emissions by 35%. We have made a strong start with initiatives such as the Carbon and Biodiversity Project, which is an important piece of the puzzle.
HOW WILL YOU KNOW THE PROJECT HAS SUCCEEDED?
To start with, the plants survive! But overall, success looks like a healthy, biodiverse patch of bushland that generates verified carbon credits, so we can proudly say we know that it’s made a real difference.
TEXT TIM SHAND
PHOTOGRAPHY GAVIN CRAWCOUR TOM BENSON
VIVID EXPRESSION
CHIEF WINEMAKER, TIM SHAND, SHARES THE STORY BEHIND OUR NEW PRESERVATIVE-FREE VIVID RED, A PURE AND BOLD EXPRESSION OF OUR SPECIAL PATCH OF LAND.
THE VISION
In a region famous for red wines with great concentration, structure and longevity, we were inspired to craft a wine that instead highlights fruit purity, freshness and immediacy—something a little lighter on its feet. So, we looked at the blocks we had and thought about what winemaking techniques would achieve that vision. The Vivid Red [PF] was born. We used carbonic maceration and minimised oak influence to make a wine that is entirely preservative-free, so we can really emphasise that vibrancy and transparency.
THE CRAFT
Our inaugural release in 2023 was 80% whole-bunch. This meant parts of the whole vine went into the ferment, bringing in forest floor and earthy characters. Then, whole berries underwent carbonic maceration for about 16 days. We were delicate with tannin extraction, resulting in softer tannins and a lot more fruit flavour.
What excited me most was how this approach felt like a return to ancient winemaking methods—organic fruit, hand-picked, foot-stomped and pressed into old barrels without adding sulphur. We bottled it fresh, much like they did before the days of advanced wine chemistry and microbiology. While I wouldn’t call it a “natural wine” outright, we were definitely embracing many traditional winemaking practices, and this is how we plan to make Vivid Red [PF] into the future.
THE LABEL
The name “Vivid Red” actually came to us at the eleventh hour! Naming a wine is tough because you have such limited space to tell its story, without the luxury of being able to tell it in person. For us, “vivid” really captured that sense of post-harvest freshness. It also suggests beauty and appeal. We think of vivid art, vivid music, vivid tastes and even vivid memories. There’s something really captivating about that word.
When it came to the visuals, the Voyager labels are so distinctive and evocative that it made sense for Vivid Red [PF] to follow suit. The concept came from a discussion about our organics being “an extra layer on top of how we do things.” These elements—like air circulation, wind speed, humidity and temperature—influence our microclimate and are often felt but not always seen. We wanted to visually represent these unpredictable elements of nature with a graphic that adds a flowing layer of linework over the top of our existing vineyard pattern.
THE WINE
I think Vivid Red [PF] is perfect with charcuterie, tapas, all the salty things. It’s definitely a wine for sharing and good times. It has a real convivial nature and a bit of wildness to it, with a raw, rough-at-the-edges character. This wine captures that immediate fruit expression we see in the cellar post-harvest, which is something drinkers usually don’t get to experience. As for serving, it’s best drunk just below ambient temperature, especially in Western Australia. Around 14 to 16 degrees celsius is ideal to maintain its vibrancy. So, maybe not straight out of the fridge, but a brief chill for 15-20 minutes works well.
As for evolving each year, Vivid Red [PF] will always be a blend, with freshness and immediacy at its core. We aim for vintage consistency, and different varieties will perform differently each year. We’ll find what we need from different places on our property to maintain that beautiful balance.
TEXT TRAVIS CRANE
JANE-LOUISE MERCER
PHOTOGRAPHY GAVIN CRAWCOUR
CULTIVATED TASTES
JUST NORTH OF VOYAGER ESTATE, HEAD CHEF, TRAVIS CRANE, AND HIS PARTNER, JANE-LOUISE MERCER, HAVE CULTIVATED A SUSTAINABLE GARDEN PROJECT TO BRING OUR GUESTS CLOSER TO THE LAND THROUGH THOUGHTFUL, PRODUCE-FOCUSED COOKING.
TC
The kitchen garden was originally established a few years back as a trial plot for the larger Landsmith Home Farm—our new project that puts local and regenerative food production centre-stage. This project is now well and truly underway, so the original trial plot was repurposed as a kitchen garden to supply the Voyager Estate Restaurant.
JLM
It was planted in 2020 as part of the mission to continue Voyager’s sustainability focus.
TC
Exactly. Jane came on board as the kitchen gardener and we took over management of the plot in early 2023. I personally requested to take on the project, to ensure that we could continue to get our hands on beautiful, local produce for the restaurant without having to rely on markets and wholesalers.
JLM
That’s right. We had someone lined up to cultivate the garden, but those plans fell through. Travis and I decided to take on the adventure and haven’t looked back since.
TC
The garden itself is located just north of Voyager Estate. We have 26 rows, each 20 metres long, so all up, we’re looking after around a quarter of an acre.
JLM
Yes, the plot is shared with a few different ventures. We are usually surrounded by cows, which adds to the charm. At the moment, I get to look out on the small herd of Murray Greys that are calving. They’re very sweet.
TC
This year, we’ve planted a variety of brassicas: garlic, heirloom cauliflowers, Romanesco, heirloom broccoli, kale, mustard greens and cabbages. We will be trialling different root vegetables and onions: heirloom beets, black radish, watermelon radish, celeriac, turnips and heirloom onions as well.
JLM
It has to be said, it was an incredibly dry start to the year. Travis and I had so much uncertainty about water that we held off planting anything until we had decent rain.
TC
Farming organically means growing produce without the input of any unnatural or synthetic substances such as chemical fertilisers, herbicides and pesticides. It’s a relationship where the farmer needs to be in tune with the land, the soil and their environment. The benefits of organic and regenerative farming really cannot be overstated. Apart from the positive environmental impacts of growing this way, the resulting produce is free of harmful substances, has a character that speaks to the land and season, and is much more delicious and exciting.
JLM
We use lots of companion planting and organic compost. Generally, I get to grow exactly what the restaurant wants, which means our vegetables are beautiful and have such a ‘real’ and nostalgic flavour. The approach taken in the winery is reflected in our garden; great care and respect for the earth and what it produces.
TC
The establishment of the kitchen garden is one step that the Voyager Estate Restaurant has taken on with great determination. Through reduced food miles, improving the land on which we work, and following organic principles, we’re taking steps to leave our part of the world in a better state than we found it for generations to come.
JLM
We try to keep things in a circular system. Most of the compost comes from within the winery. We grow within the bounds of the property, creating a small carbon footprint. The biggest impact is the short drive to the cellar door. Travis and the team manage to creatively use the harvest for various dishes. In fact, the menu for the restaurant has minimal food waste in comparison to à la carte dining.
TC
One of the biggest challenges that we’ve faced throughout the first couple of seasons has been pests. We’ve seen just about everything, from rabbits initially, to occasional cow incursions, hungry birds and the dreaded cabbage moth. Improved fencing and physical barriers managed to keep some at bay, but the smaller insects and pests require constant observation. We’re always learning and making the adjustments that our little farm ecosystem needs to thrive.
JLM
Prior to this patch, I’ve been an avid home veggie gardener, but nothing of this size. Our patch itself is quite challenging, surrounded by grass, weeds and paddocks. We’ve had plenty of moths and caterpillars. There has been so much learning about beneficial weeds and integrated pest management.
TC
There have been some funny moments too. One standout for me was when I was whipper-snipping the grass near the kitchen garden. I accidentally stood in a pile of very wet dung before skidding the whipper-snipper into an electric fence.
I remember that! I had my own funny experience one morning in very late summer. We had some extremely hungry bulls enter the patch. They nibbled a couple of weeds, and I was actually a little bit thankful they had removed them. But later that afternoon, a small gang of one-year-old Belted Galloway cows trotted in and demolished half of my crops within minutes. The farm fences were playing up and it was much easier to let them enjoy a snack than attempt to herd them away from the area. It was surreal; I took a video of the cows sauntering in and eating to their heart’s delight. Moments like these make me laugh, even if it meant an unexpected end to the season.
TC
Despite the challenges, the process of growing our own produce for the restaurant is incredibly rewarding. It requires meticulous planning, a lot of adaptability, patience and a decent amount of luck. We start by identifying what will grow in our environment, soil and seasons. From there, we decide on what we’d like to grow and eventually showcase in the restaurant.
JLM
Yes, Travis and I usually have a look at crops we find interesting and could inspire some creativity in the kitchen. From there, we prepare the soil and plant. Travis and the team create a menu around or featuring the produce. I usually harvest on a Tuesday and Friday for the kitchen, depending on the needs.
TC
Seasonality and locality of produce really are at the core of our menu design. If we can’t grow it ourselves or source it locally, we’re not going to use it.
JLM
Travis loves to cook with exceptional produce. I think that’s what inspires him the most; it almost forces his creativity to come alive. To have the best produce, it needs to be fresh, have intense flavour, and abundance. The premise of the restaurant is to reflect what is happening in the vineyard and garden; the seasons shape how we feel, how we approach cooking and eating, and all our activities.
TC
I don’t generally like to play favourites, but since we started growing our own produce, there are a few dishes that stand out for me. Zucchini, Mussels, Coastal Greens was one of the first dishes I put on the menu when I arrived, showcasing zucchinis from the kitchen garden. Another favourite is Octopus, Rhubarb, Rose, Mulberry—not from our kitchen garden, but it showcases some of the gorgeous produce available across the estate and at our sister property, Wallcliffe House. And then there’s Cucumber, Sardine, Almond—Jane’s cucumbers fermented and pickled, juiced and fresh, with grilled Albany sardines and Ajo Blanco.
JLM
One of my favourites was the Reuben Sandwich. There was so much in that dish that reflected the menu theme and what was happening in the garden, as well as the vineyard. Any abundant produce was turned into preserves. Zucchinis into relish, savoy and red cabbage into kraut, and the beautiful purslane was quick pickled. It was also served with one of my favourite wines, the 2023 Vivid Red [PF].
TC
The opportunity to be involved at the very beginning, from planting a seed to showcasing the produce on our restaurant menu, is a privilege and very rewarding. Accessing produce that would otherwise be unavailable through wholesalers, and utilising the entire plant through all of its stages, is fantastic.
JLM
Absolutely. We moved from Darwin two years ago, so observing the seasons has been such an awesome bonus of working outside. Seeing new growth on plants, watching ‘drunk’ bees covered in pollen in summer, and of course, the harvests. My inner teacher also loves how much I get to learn along the way.
TC
Moving forward, we will continue to work towards a future where we are as self-sufficient as possible, while looking for ways to bring some of the farm experience closer to our guests at Voyager Estate.
JLM
My hope is to deepen the connection between our guests, their food and our wines even further through continued emphasis on sustainability and producing the best homegrown produce we can.
TEXT TRAVIS CRANE
PHOTOGRAPHY GAVIN CRAWCOUR
VENISON BEETROOT CRÈME FRAÎCHE
IN MARGARET RIVER WE’RE BLESSED WITH DELICIOUS LOCALLY– FARMED VENISON. HEAD CHEF, TRAVIS CRANE, SHARES HIS RECIPE TO PREPARE VENISON AT HOME TO CREATE A SIMPLE YET REFINED DISH, PERFECT FOR SHARING AT YOUR NEXT DINNER PARTY ALONGSIDE A GLASS OF CABERNET SAUVIGNON.
VENISON
500 g venison backstrap, silver skin and sinew removed Your butcher can do this for you.
2 tbsp sea salt
2 tbsp pink peppercorns
1 tbsp black peppercorns
2 tsp juniper berries
10 cloves black garlic
Should be available in good green grocers or supermarkets. If not, you can sear the venison without the garlic paste.
100 ml extra virgin olive oil
Grapeseed oil
BEETROOT
1 bunch baby beetroot
1 head of garlic, cut in half 10 cm sprig of thyme
Sprinkle of sea salt
Extra virgin olive oil
Aged balsamic vinegar
1 bunch chives, finely sliced
1. Peel the black garlic, chop finely and use the flat side of a knife to smear the garlic across the chopping board, until it forms a paste.
2. Transfer to a mixing bowl and combine with the olive oil. Add your venison to the bowl, season with sea salt and massage the black garlic mix into the venison. Return to the fridge while you prepare the spices.
3. Toast all the peppercorns and juniper in a pan over a medium heat until aromatic. This usually takes one to a few minutes, depending on how hot the pan is.
4. Transfer to a mortar and pestle, spice grinder or small blender. Grind the spices until reasonably fine, but not a powder.
5. Transfer venison from the bowl to a clean plate and coat well with the spice mix, turning and adding to ensure even coverage.
6. To sear the venison, heat a heavy-based pan or a barbecue plate with a small amount of grapeseed oil (or any other high smoke point oil) and when the oil is smoking, sear the venison, turning until all sides have a deep brown crust. This shouldn’t take more than a couple of minutes.
7. Transfer the venison to a cake rack and loosely cover it with foil to rest for at least 15 minutes or up to an hour.
1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Place beetroot, garlic and thyme on a baking tray, then lightly coat with olive oil and salt.
3. Cover the tray of ingredients well with aluminium foil, ensuring a tight seal. Then bake in the oven until the beetroot is just cooked. This should take around 45 minutes to an hour. When the beetroots are ready, a small knife should pass through with little resistance.
4. Allow them to cool slightly while still covered before peeling them. The skin should rub off easily using a bit of paper towel or a cloth to create a little friction.
5. Cut the beetroots into bite-sized pieces, then place in a mixing bowl. Season with aged balsamic, salt and olive oil to taste. Squeeze the bulb of roasted garlic the cloves should pop out easily and throw these into the mixing bowl along with the chopped chives. Toss everything together.
CRÈME FRAÎCHE
200 g crème fraîche
30 g horseradish, finely grated
Salt to taste
1. Combine the finely grated horseradish with the crème fraîche and season with salt to taste. This can be done in advance and kept in the fridge until ready to serve.
TO SERVE
WINE MATCH
1. Slice the rested venison with a very sharp knife, ensuring you slice across the grain. You want to do this as thinly as possible, ideally around half a centimetre, laying the slices over the base of a serving plate.
2. Top with your dressed beetroots and the leftover beetroot dressing.
3. Place small dollops of the horseradish crème fraîche around the plate, ensuring it is well distributed. Finish with a little more extra virgin olive oil, sea salt and any garnish herbs you wish.
2020 Voyager Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
With its subtle charry notes and beautiful spice on the nose, our Cabernet Sauvignon ties in perfectly with the lightly spiced, seared venison. Dark fruit flavours on the palate marry perfectly with the beetroot and black garlic, while the pronounced, fine tannins are tamed by the protein-rich venison. A stunning wine paired with a flavour–packed share plate that is sure to impress at your next dinner party.
TEXT CASSANDRA CHARLICK
PHOTOGRAPHY GAVIN CRAWCOUR TOM BENSON
CONVERSING WITH CABERNET
DECANTER CORRESPONDENT, INDEPENDENT WINE WRITER AND PRESENTER, CASSANDRA CHARLICK, EXPLORES TWELVE VOYAGER ESTATE CABERNET VINTAGES, EACH BOTTLE REVEALING A STORY STEEPED IN MARGARET RIVER’S RICH WINEMAKING HISTORY.
Cabernet Sauvignon is entwined in Voyager Estate’s history. The grape has paved the foundations of Margaret River as a premium wine region, and Voyager’s story speaks through the lens of Cabernet’s pedigree and longevity.
On a blustery yet unassuming mid-week morning, twelve vintages of bottled history sit patiently, each awaiting their moment to shine. To help reveal the intricacies of each vintage and the narratives that unfurl with each sip, I’m joined by Voyager’s Chief Winemaker, Tim Shand, and one of the Estate’s longest-serving winemakers, James (Jimmy) Penton, who has since moved to Bordeaux to begin the next chapter of his career.
With approximately 850,000 acres under vine worldwide, Cabernet offers more than any other grape. It’s the love child of Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Franc and, with a capacity for otherworldly beauty, it can also display tightly bound muscularity or unmovable broodiness. Refined or rustic, neatly drawn or opulent, Cabernet has the capacity to please the fussiest of palates.
Wine plays a unique role that no other agricultural product can provide. Every bottle stores the story of its provenance and holds the capacity to connect individuals and communities on a fundamental level. Each of these twelve bottles of Cabernet tells the tale of the people who made it, the vineyard and winery’s evolution, and the time’s cultural context.
We begin our journey with the 2001 vintage under cork and decanted. Voyager Estate is one of Margaret River’s founding wine estates, with the first vines planted in 1978. These original vines are in V9, better known as the “Old Block”, and include the Houghton clone of Cabernet, whose forty-five-year-old fruit is intense in character and flavour. Seventeen years later, the North Block of Cabernet Sauvignon was established with cuttings from the Old Block, and it didn’t take long for the quality of fruit to become apparent and make its way to the bottle. Each site brings a unique character to Voyager’s Cabernet Sauvignon. “The Old Block’s loamy soil produces mulberry and milk chocolate in the fruit, while the North Block’s harsh gravel translates to darker, inky cassis and bay leaf characters,” shares Jimmy.
A vineyard doesn’t tend to itself, and a wine is the sum of its parts. Looking down the line-up, the first three vintages are unified by several markers, including the winemaker’s style and the regional and cultural influences of the time. Cliff Royle shaped these wines as Voyager’s Chief Winemaker from 2000 to 2009. It is a testament to both the skill and the viticulture trends at the time that the 2001 is drinking beautifully for its 23 years under cork, not to mention proof of the ageabilty and the consistent developing complexity of these wines.
Fast-forward to the end of the decade, and a stylistic evolution is afoot, primarily centred around a change in the timing of the fruit pick, the extraction methods, and the oak treatment. “Before 2009, the grapes were picked riper, certainly much riper than what we’ve done in the last five to six years,” says Jimmy. “It was a regional influence, as there was no tolerance for anything that looked green, a trend in Cabernet that reached beyond Margaret River and was largely driven by wine journalism at the time.”
These second two brackets show a vast pace of development in Voyager’s Cabernet journey in under a decade. Jimmy reveals that, “From 2009 to 2016, there were so many little tweaks in the evolution, and you can see them because this period in Margaret River was so consistent with beautiful fruit years. As a region, it helped us jump to world-class Cabernet in a short time.” Such developments included upgraded fruit processing equipment in the winery in 2013, enabling whole berries rather than crushed fruit in the 2014 vintage. That year saw a change in the role of oak, and it was also the first vintage that consisted of one hundred per cent estate fruit, a transition to organic farming, and the pathway to new labels.
Tim notes, “The changes with processing and to single estate fruit show more clarity and focus in the 2014. The fine art of Margaret River Cabernet is about retaining the freshness while toning the ripeness of the tannins back a bit.” Jimmy agrees, “2014 is one of my favourite vintages—cool nights preserved the wine’s vibrancy, allowing for deep, complex tannins that are still light and refined.”
Continuing with change, 2015 saw the debut of SA125, a clone of Cabernet Tim is familiar with from his time working in the Yarra Valley. He believes it comes into its own in the cooler vintages. Jimmy adds, “It has played a key role in our aspirations to modernise and change that perception of old-school Cabernet.” This was the year fining was stopped in the winery, an instrumental step towards crafting the most expressive, site-specific wines.
These wines’ clarity of vintage expression coincided with a shift in Australia’s wine-drinking culture. “From the start of this decade, the wine consumer was starting to understand vintage variation and embrace it, rather than questioning why the wine didn’t look the same as the previous year,” says Jimmy. This consumer education coincided with the rise of the professional sommelier in Australia, as wine lists increased with a greater selection and quality of imported wines, and dining out was an increasingly mainstream hobby for everyday Australians, as well as the rise of the celebrity chef.
“2017 was hugely important, as we rewrote the winemaking book. It was the first vintage we started our organic certification with Australian Certified Organic,” shares Jimmy. “We finished five weeks earlier than our neighbours, Xanadu and Leeuwin.” The cold conditions meant you risked the fruit hanging through the big weather front or pulled it off before the rain. “I look at this wine now, and I think we made a brilliant decision,” concludes Jimmy. “As a vintage, it taught everyone in the region a hell of a lot. We changed everything regarding extraction and temperature. We kept ferment cool and light on extraction.” Other changes included reducing to one pump over a day for a shorter period, pressing earlier and transitioning the oak program to build the mid-weight palate. In cooler years like 2017, Merlot plays a significant role, providing fruit density, complexity and spice.
There’s little question that the most recent years have been fantastic for Cabernet. “2018 was an almost perfect growing season, with 2020 similar and just a step up in heat levels,” says Jimmy. 2022 was also in the warmer spectrum; he believes it is the best yet. “It has the ripeness but still has restraint and floral aromatics. The spice, the tannins and the fruit all integrate so beautifully.”
With pedigree and longevity established, where does the future sit for Cabernet at Voyager Estate? Tim has the answer...
“WE ARE WRESTLING WITH MODERN PALATES, WITH PEOPLE STEERING AWAY FROM REDS DESCRIBED AS FULL-BODIED, RIPE AND TANNIC. BUT CABERNET IS NOT IN THAT MYOPIC ‘THIS OR THAT’ ARGUMENT.
2014
As noted, this is Jimmy’s favourite vintage, with warm days and cold nights, and it marks several changes in the winery and vineyard. At ten years in the bottle, this is an effortlessly elegant wine that speaks of restraint and focus. The nose offers up florals and delicate spice, granite minerality, wild strawberries laced with vanilla, candied aniseed, a dusting of green peppercorn, and a fringe of leather. With well-defined tannins, this might be lighter on its feet, but not at the expense of any fruit density or complexity. A complete wine with clarity that rings like a bell.
2016
What a delight. 2016 was a classic year with plenty of freshness, leading to a well-mannered and harmonious wine. This dance card is filled with bright red and blue fruit, delicate spice, crushed nori and lifted minerality. Fine-boned tannins interplay with well-handled oak and silvery acidity to offer a detailed wine with plenty of silky, long-lived layers.
2020
A warmer year with near-perfect growing conditions has translated into a stunning wine still in its infancy. This is a lesson in the art of structure: firm and supple tannins, fresh acidity and pristine fruit at its core. The concentration of fruit is intense and tightly wound in its youth, but give this time to open up. Its obsidian nature will soften its grip, offering up an opulence of fruit and brooding perfume. A wine to go the distance, drink now and enjoy, but be certain to put away a few bottles to reveal an exquisite future.
THREE VINTAGE HIGHLIGHTS
ALEXANDRA BURT
PROPRIETOR
KING OF POURS
WE ASKED OUR CONTRIBUTORS TO SHARE THEIR GO-TO CABERNET SAUVIGNON TO POUR AROUND THE TABLE AT DINNER PARTIES.
A pitfall of having a cellar palate is that I constantly serve Voyager Estate at parties. So, for this exercise, I have chosen a wine I have yet to try, which is any Cabernet from Napa producer, Kinsman Eades. Shae and Nigel Kinsman are Margaret River (and Voyager) alumni and have created a tremendously inspiring Cabernet brand from little more than sheer force of will. It’s sold out everywhere so, if you can get your hands on a bottle, please let me know!
MICHELLE MCMANUS
HEAD OF SUSTAINABILITY
My favourite dinner party Cabernet Sauvignon is the one I’m sharing with loved ones! I have some dear friends who visit our farm once or twice a year, always with some Willespie wine in hand, and usually around wintertime. Hearty homegrown food, a crackling fire, and sleeping dogs at your feet, it’s always one of those visits that I relish.
TIM
SHAND
CHIEF WINEMAKER
A Cabernet-based wine I really enjoy opening at dinner parties in Margaret River is Mount Mary Quintet. It is stylistically so different to what we grow here. It is always a good conversation starter. The vineyard has an impeccable pedigree and has never bowed to trends or fashion. Knowing my friend, Sam Middleton, has thoroughly grasped the role his grandfather famously established adds another level of enjoyment when drinking Mount Mary wines.
TRAVIS CRANE
HEAD CHEF
My pick would be the 2008 Voyager Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot. A gorgeous wine which, at 16 years old, still surprises with its structure, tannin and fruit character. Through the ageing process it has started to take on savoury mushroom notes, adding to its complexity. It’s a wine that tells a story and shows the potential of our stunning Cabernets to age, as well as being bloody delicious! Perfect to share among friends at a dinner party.
JANE-LOUISE MERCER KITCHEN GARDENER
Last year, just before Travis and I got married, we had lunch with our parents over a bottle of 2018 Voyager Estate Cabernet Sauvignon in the restaurant. We shared stories about how we’d met and about our move to Margaret River, and our parents’ shared funny stories about their own lives. It is such a treasured memory.
CASSANDRA CHARLICK DECANTER CORRESPONDENT
In a world of casual dining and last-minute catch-ups, the well-considered dinner party is an endangered species. Dining out has its perks, but there’s nothing like homespun hospitality. The hosts have spent time and consideration prepping a meal to remember, so take a wine that fits snugly into the menu. Western Australia has no shortage of sunny days, so Voyager Estate’s The Modern Cabernet Sauvignon is a safe bet. It’s light on its feet while sitting comfortably as a fireside wine.
Captured by renowned Melbourne photographer, Lilli Waters, and stylist, Marsha Golemac, our front cover image visually deconstructs the varietal character and flavour nuances of Cabernet Sauvignon from our special patch of land in Stevens Valley.
We grow and make our wines on the land of the Wadandi People, the Traditional Custodians of all of the Margaret River region. We pay our respects to their Elders, past and present.