From humble beginnings in 1948, Paul Conti Wines has become one of WA’s most reputable and respected boutique, family owned wineries. Located only 30 minutes north of Perth, the Woodvale property which now houses a modern winery and restaurant was the original homestead of Carmelo (aka Charlie) & Rosa Conti who in 1927 immigrated to Australia from a small town in their homeland of Sicily. The Conti’s raised eight children in the beautiful stone house which has since been converted into a fine dining restaurant, however the property was once the hub of a rural self-sufficient lifestyle. Based on black, fertile swampy soils the conditions were ideal for growing vegetables, planting an orchard and of course nurturing vines. Cheese & milk, (thanks to the resident cow), pasta, sausages and of course wine were all produced at the property.
In 1948, Charlie began expanding the modest vineyard to cater to a growing domestic market. The original cellar which remains today, was dug out by two of the Conti brothers by horse (a stubborn creature, but fondly remembered as ‘Mary’) and scoop located directly beneath the family home.
It was from this time onward that a then, young Paul learnt the traditional art of wine making and decades later, became an industry ‘pioneer’ in his own right.
From 1968 Paul began upgrading the small winery and became the first vigneron to produce premium bottled wine from Tuart soils (a direct result of Tuart trees grown in the region). Early success was achieved with his award winning Mariginiup Hermitage [now called shiraz], an exclusive wine still made from the original vines planted on the Mariginiup Vineyard in 1958.
Fruit today is exclusively hand picked from three Conti vineyards located at, Woodvale (the homestead property – black sandy soils within ‘Yellagonga National Park’); Mariginiup (lighter Tuart soils/jarrah country) and Carabooda (heavier Tuart soils/redgum country). The vineyard sites were chosen due to their limestone based soils and close proximity to the Indian Ocean providing cool coastal sea breezes in the dry summer months and near perfect maritime conditions. There are approximately 17 hectares under vine and no vineyard site is any more that 6 kilometres inland from the coast.
Varieties grown between the three vineyards include, shiraz, cabernet sauvignon, grenache, merlot, chardonnay, chenin blanc and muscat of alexandria, all of which excel in the region.
The Medici Ridge label is an extension of Paul Conti’s premium range. Its discerning difference is that fruit is soured from external growers based in the cooler climate of Pemberton’s Warren Valley (approx. 3.5 hours south of Perth). The wines within the range include pinot noir, shiraz and merlot, displaying regional influences unique to the South West region.
In 1991, third generation Jason Conti assumed all wine making responsibility and over the years has worked closely with his father by embracing a traditional wine making style combined with new technology learnt from furthering his studies of viticulture and wine making abroad. This unique combination of youth and contemporary methods tied with traditional wine making techniques, has greatly influenced the success of the wines today.
With Jason now firmly established, Paul spends much of his time managing the three family owned vineyards and sourcing quality fruit from his Pemberton growers.
Paul’s wife Anne is his business partner and the driving force behind the logistics of the business, together with daughter Berlinda, who assists with public relations on a casual basis.
Today, Paul Conti Wines is a fully equipped, modern winery, producing approximately 7,000 cases per year and aside from a heathy domestic market, caters to a long-standing export market that includes the United Kingdom, Japan, Singapore and Switzerland.
Paul Conti
South West Coastal Region
The South West Coastal Region of WA is home to some of the State’s most stylistic wines. The area is contained within a narrow strip never more than 4kms wide, which stretches south of Yanchep, 40kms north of Perth, to the Ludlow Tuart Forest near Busselton, 230kms south of Perth.
What distinguishes the region from any other is the fertile sandy top soils over a limestone base and the majestic Tuart trees (Eucalyptus Gomphocephala) that thrive in the region. The major climatic factor influencing the region is its close proximity to the Indian Ocean. This provides a mild maritime climate, with dry warm summers, cool wet winters and no frosts during the growing season.
The consistent occurrence of the afternoon sea breeze during the summer months ensures cooler nights and helps the morphology of the vine. This allows excellent flavour and character build up.
As mentioned earlier, Paul Conti was the first wine maker to produce premium bottled wine from Tuart soils in 1968 - he pioneered modern wine making in the region with his Mariginiup Hermitage [now called shiraz].
Since those early days, shiraz has grown in stature in the region. The quality of shiraz, and also cabernet sauvignon, is unquestionable.
The reds show great depth of colour, character, flavour and especially refinement on the finish which is a direct result of limestone present in the soil.
Chardonnay and chenin blanc also excel in the region, with the alkali soils again being a major influence. The resultant wines are full flavoured classic dry whites with abundant flavour.