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McHenry Hohnen Vintners is a family owned wine producer sourcing grapes from four vineyards owned within the families of David Hohnen-winemaker and sheepfarmer-and his brother-in-law Murray McHenry-who also runs his own retail wine business in Australia. Winemaking is handled by Iconic winemaker and Margaret River wine pioneer David, his daughter Freya and her partner, Ryan Walsh-with Mike Sleegers the head viticultaralist overseeing the management of the four vineyards (Rocky Road-40 hectares, Calgardup Brook-40-hectares, McLeod Creek-23 hectares and McHenrys-17 hectares). The families philosophy embraces minimal intervention winemaking, where each wine is a focussed expression of its variety, its growing season and its individual site.

Within the four vineyards, eighteen varieties are cultivated. These reflect the regions' heritage with the Bordeaux varieties (semillon, sauvignon blanc, malbec, merlot, cabernet sauvignon and petit verdot). The similarity of the Mediterranean climate within Margaret River is recognised with varieties associated with Southern France and Spain (marsanne, roussanne, grenache, graciano, mataro, shiraz and tempranillo). Add chardonnay, viognier and zinfandel to the mix, and they have the full range from which the fruit is selected for the McHenry Hohnen range of wines. Viticultural practices embrace old-fashioned 'common sense' farming philosophies, i.e. cultivating a system in which the soil and its organisms, along with plants, insects and animals, co-exist in a thriving equilibrium. Oak is used for aging of the wines, but very judiciously and cautiously-you may well hear David commenting that oak should not be used as a flavour additive to the wine-that is a role one should leave to the soils and the grapes!

In Autumn 2007 David Hohnen’s pioneering achievements-including his work at Cloudy Bay and Cape Mentelle-were recognised with the inaugural Len Evans Award for Leadership-of particular importance as it is one that is voted on, and supported by, his winemaking peers.

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