South by South West Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot 2023

An elegant and medium-bodied cabernet sauvignon-merlot blend that, in the 2023 vintage, brings a little more intensity of aroma and flavour, with notes of plums, cherries, cassis, tea leaves, wild rosemary and blueberries on the finish. We've named them one of our Wine Society Pioneers for their commitment to sustainable methods and our Climate and Nature Programme is helping the two-woman powerhouses behind South by South West, Liv and Mij, complete what Liv calls one of their ‘dream or unicorn type projects’ – building a custom-made mobile chicken trailer to introduce chickens to their vineyards. A project that as a small producer with a limited budget they would not have been able to achieve otherwise. Using chickens to help manage (in other words gobble up) weevils, the major vineyard pest in Western Australia, will hopefully enable them to reduce the usage of pesticides. Integrating animals into the viticultural operation in this way is an important tenet of regenerative viticulture which enables a holistic approach to pest management that in turn brings other natural benefits, and this is at the heart of SXSW’s viticultural philosophy. In addition to designing and constructing (and subsequently putting into action) the mobile chicken trailer with their chicken army acting as a natural pest controller. Liv and Mij will be implementing a tailored cover-cropping programme and planting native trees and shrubs in and around their vineyards. They work under the principals of Sustainable Winegrowing Australia, following organic and biodynamic principles, though they’re not certified organic. They use lightweight bottles and recycled paper for labels, recycle paper, glass and cardboard themselves. The winery is 100% solar powered, all wastewater is treated and released and they don’t irrigate mature vines. Cattle and sheep graze the vineyard. As they say: 'The reason we do it is it’s the right thing to do. Our philosophy is to make the fruit as good as we can make it’. Amen.