Denmark is a small wine sub-region which hugs the Southern Ocean coastline of Great Southern, in Western Australia. Based around – and named after – the town of Denmark, the area is known for its Riesling, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and (in certain locations) Pinot Noir. Riesling is the white wine specialty both here and across the Great Southern region, with a crisp, citrusy style matched in few Australian regions outside Eden and Clare.
The style of most Denmark wines is relatively restrained, thanks to a Mediterranean climate moderated by the Southern (Antarctic) Ocean. The regular sea breeze which blows inland on hot summer afternoons is a significant boon to Denmark's vineyards, and has certainly contributed to the style and quality of locally grown wines. Further down the coast in Albany, the wind is known as the 'Albany Doctor' – after the more famous 'Fremantle Doctor' which cools the baked vineyards of the Swan Valley to the north. This whole stretch of coastline is known as the Rainbow Coast because of the angle of the sun in winter means there are frequent rainbows.
The Denmark river plays an important role in the area's viticulture, rising near Mount Barker and meandering south until it flows into the Wilson Inlet just outside Denmark town. The inlet is named after Thomas Braidwood Wilson, a Scottish navy surgeon who discovered it in 1829. In turn, he named the river after Dr Alexander Denmark, his friend and former medical tutor back in England.
Soils range from iron-rich laterite over granite and gneiss (the granite domes of Porongurup are just a short distance to the north-east) to alluvial types in the east. The climate is maritime-influenced throughout this long, thin region, as no vineyard is further than 10 miles (16km) from the coast.
Despite the current focus being on cool climate styles of Riesling and Pinot Noir, the standard Australian favorites Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Chardonnay are also alive and well in Denmark. Shiraz here often gives a distinctly earthy, peppery, spiced-cherry element, reminiscent of the northern Rhone. In general, local winemakers tend to use less vanillin-imparting American oak than their opposite numbers in the east of Australia, which permits this style to shine through.
