Plantagenet Wines is Western Australia's first winery, established in Mount Barker in the Great Southern region in 1974 by English migrant Tony Smith. The producer operates five vineyards across 126 hectares positioned in directions south and west from Mount Barker, with plantings established on gravelly loam foundations layered over clay, sand and ironstone. What sets Plantagenet apart is their consistent focus on cool-climate elegance: proximity to the Southern Ocean ensures slow grape ripening, which builds aromatic complexity and fine tannin structure rather than brute power. Their Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Riesling are consistently among Australia's most regarded expressions of these varieties.

About Plantagenet Wines

Plantagenet's heritage runs deep. The producer's name honours the royal House of Plantagenet, which ruled England from 1154 to 1485—the same dynasty whose three lions appear on the arms of England. When English settlers arrived in the Great Southern, they named the surrounding shire after this royal line, and in 1968 Tony Smith, a descendant of the Plantagenets themselves, invested his inheritance in a farm called Bouverie within the shire. Vines were planted in the late 1960s, and Smith released his first vintage in 1974, making Plantagenet the region's pioneer.

Today, Plantagenet remains an estate producer—all wines come from their own vineyards—which means they control every decision from soil management through to bottling. The five vineyard blocks benefit from Mount Barker's cool Southern Ocean climate. This maritime influence is the key to the wines' character: grapes ripen slowly, allowing flavour compounds to develop fully while acidity and tannins remain precise and defined. The gravelly loam soils impose natural discipline on the vines, concentrating flavour rather than encouraging bulk production. This combination of cool climate and careful vineyard placement explains why Plantagenet's Cabernet Sauvignon achieves beautiful fine tannins and remarkable length, their Riesling remains one of Australia's most highly regarded, and their spicy, elegant Shiraz continues to earn recognition both domestically and internationally.

Food Pairing

Plantagenet's Cabernet and Shiraz pair naturally with lamb—roasted, braised, or in slow-cooked curries where the wines' fine tannins cut through richness without dominating. The Riesling works beautifully with Asian dishes featuring ginger, soy and chilli, or with smoked fish and seafood preparations. The Chardonnay suits roasted poultry, cream-based pasta, and soft cheeses. Mount Barker's cool-climate wines generally favour food with acidity or spice rather than heavy, oaked dishes.

What makes Plantagenet's wines different from other Great Southern producers?

Plantagenet was the first winery in the Great Southern region and remains an estate producer controlling all vineyards. Their location south and west of Mount Barker, close to the Southern Ocean, ensures slow ripening that builds aromatic depth and fine tannin structure rather than overripeness.

Is Plantagenet Riesling worth the investment?

Yes. The 2024 Angevin Mount Barker Riesling scores 93pts (James Suckling 94) and is described as one of Australia's most highly regarded Rieslings. Mount Barker's cool climate produces flinty, mineral-driven examples with ageing potential.

Which Plantagenet wine offers the best value for cellaring?

The 2021 Aquitaine Mount Barker Cabernet Sauvignon (91pts, multiple critics 90–93) has structure and fine tannins that reward bottle age, typical of cool-climate Bordeaux varieties that improve over five to ten years.

Who makes Plantagenet Wines?

Tony Smith, an English migrant and Plantagenet descendant, founded Plantagenet in Mount Barker, Western Australia in 1974. It remains Western Australia's first winery and operates five vineyards across 126 hectares in the Great Southern region.

What style of wine does Plantagenet make?

Plantagenet specialises in cool-climate wines: Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Riesling with fine tannins and aromatic complexity. Their 2024 Angevin Mount Barker Riesling scored 93, exemplifying their elegant, slow-ripened approach from Southern Ocean proximity.