Overview
Thompson Estate is a family owned and operated boutique vineyard located in the heart of the renowned Wilyabrup sub-region of Margaret River.
More information
Thompson Estate is a family owned and operated boutique vineyard located in the heart of the renowned Wilyabrup sub-region of Margaret River.
Wilyabrup has the ideal number of sun exposure days per year for optimal ripening, and is surrounded by sea on three sides on the south west cape of Western Australia. This allows the cooling maritime breezes to keep the fruit cool and add intensity of flavours similar to the great years of Bordeaux in France. Thompson Estate and its immediate neighbours in Wilyabrup produce some of Australia's icon status cabernets and chardonnays.
Thompson Estate's first vineyard plantings of chardonnay and pinot noir were in 1997, followed by cabernet sauvignon in 1998. A total of 20 hectares is now under vine. A state of the art winery was built on site in 2008 in time for the 2009 vintage. This was designed by highly acclaimed winemaker Bob Cartwright (formerly of Leeuwin Estate), who has been Thompson Estate's winemaker since 2006.
The combination of an ideal location, meticulous viticulture and sustainable practices together with close conversation between the viticulture and winemaking teams, consistently produces superior fruit for super premium winemaking. From the outset at Thompson Estate, the focus has been on high quality wine production and this has been recognized in a large number of wine show medals and accolades from the wine press. The most significant has been the recognition by James Halliday, Australia's premier wine critic, that Thompson Estate is a Five Red Star winery, placing it in the top echelon of Australian wineries.
The owners are Peter and Jane Thompson. Peter also practices as a cardiologist and is the Deputy Director of the Western Australian Institute of Medical Research, a Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Western Australia and Director of Medical Research at Sir Charles Gardner Hospital. Peter is a proponent of the health benefits of moderate alcohol intake. The heart health benefits of wine are widely accepted and there is a long tradition of medical involvement in wine making.