Around 1920, the WA and UK governments established a Group Settlement Scheme for people seeking a new and better life in unchartered lands in Western Australia. The scheme was set up to establish a dairy farming industry and encourage people to make the journey to Western Australia through land grants in the Margaret River region. Faced with the prospect of living in extremely tough conditions, most of the settlers despaired and moved away – but a few remained and were the forefathers of the Margaret River wine region.

Vineyards were first planted in Margaret River in the 19th century but disappeared in the early 20th century as the markets looked elsewhere. The development of Margaret River as it exists today was largely due to Dr John S Gladstones. In 1965 Dr Gladstones emphasised the region's suitability on his report "The Climate and Soils of Southern WA in relation to Vine Growing", in which he said: “It has distinct advantages over both those areas [Manjimup and Mt. Barker], and indeed over all other Australian vine districts with comparable temperature summations…” and Margaret River was reborn.

Defined by the oceans, the Margaret River region enjoys a temperate, maritime climate with high winter rainfall and pristine, robust sea breezes to cool the precious fruit – wonderful conditions for growing superior Cabernet Sauvignon. The name Ringbolt honours the heritage of the Margaret River wine region. “Hold them fast, work them hard, build a heritage" pays homage to the beginnings of the Margaret River wine region and the colonial hardship which has made it what it is today. It reminds us of the countless years of hardship endured by the settlers and their strength, tenacity and commitment to making a go of the potential opportunity afforded to them.

Winemaker Peter Gambetta first worked with Margaret River fruit in 1986. He was determined to make wine there after sharing a bottle of Margaret River wine and recognising the potential of the region to produce something special. "That first vintage gave me an insight into the intensity and outstanding varietal flavour of Margaret River Cabernet" said Peter. It was the beginning of his association with Margaret River and his appreciation of its wines. That vintage was doubly memorable as he also met another winemaker who eventually became his wife.

At 595 metres above sea-level Dalwhinnie is the highest and most remote of the Pyrenees district vineyards. Surrounded and sheltered by the highest range, this unique bowl of vines is a world unto itself, located in a naturally undulating trough which falls away from the hills, forming an amphitheatre nestled into the ranges.

Ownership of Dalwhinnie has remained within one family. In 1972 the remote property was purchased. The founder, Ballarat architect Ewan Jones, established the vineyard in 1976. His eldest son David, has managed it since 1983 and, with his wife, Jenny, has owned it since 1994. It's the kind of stability that one finds in the greatest estates all around the world.

David Jones firmly believes that the best grapes come from a healthy well pruned vine which has the proper balance of fruit to foliage to ripen the bunches quickly and efficiently. The bunches must be disease free, compact in composition and have good exposure to sunlight. He believes ultimately that great wines are produced from these grapes grown on unique elevated single vineyard sites and Dalwhinnie is fortunate to possess several of these sites.

Dalwhinnie vineyard is situated in a unique amphitheatre that has its own meso climate. The site is totally frost free and allows the fruit to reach complete physiological ripeness in 9 out of 10 years which is very important in establishing a long term premium label.

The vineyard is situated on the 37th parallel south and the poor and fragile soils from left over alluvial mining areas in the early 1800's are some of the hardest and hungriest you will ever see. The climate and soils are well suited to the production of complex shiraz and that is why Dalwhinnie specialize in this great variety.

Geoff Merrill was raised on a sheep station in the far north of South Australia until he was 11 years old. The Merrill family then moved to the Barossa Valley where Geoff's first links with the wine industry were formed. His formal education was gained at local Barossa Valley Schools and the Institute of Technology in Adelaide.

From 1970 to 1973 Geoff undertook a winemaking traineeship at B Seppelt & Son. A position as Experimental Winemaker with Stellenbosch Farmers Winery lured him to South Africa for a year in 1974, after which he travelled through Europe. By the end of 1975 Geoff was back in Australia and had joined Chateau Reynella as Assistant Winemaker. In 1977 he was promoted to Senior Winemaker, a position he held until 1985. Whilst working a Chateau Reynella Geoff also managed to find the time to make wines under his own Geoff Merrill label. These were first released in 1983 with the 1980 Cabernet and 1981 Semillon.

Geoff Merrill established Stratmer Vineyards in 1980. It is under this company that the Geoff Merrill, Owens Estate and Mount Hurtle wines are made. During the company's establishing years the Geoff Merrill Wines were made at various locations, including Chateau Reynella, Pirramimma (McLaren Vale) and Peter Lehmann Wines (Barossa Valley).

Great wine is a matter of balance, Geoff Merrill's passion for subtle, elegant and harmonious flavours in wine, is well documented. The individual growing conditions of each site affords the unique opportunity of being able to blend wines highlighting the best of what each region has to offer. In 1984, Geoff Merrill built a modern processing plant at McLaren Flat in a joint venture with winemaker, Goe DiFabio. In 1992 Alister Purbrick, of Chateau Tahbilk, took on a 50% stake in Stratmer Vineyards which he retained until 2005. Geoff is now the sole owner.

When Thomas Hardy & Sons purchased Chateau Reynella in 1982 Geoff stayed on, continuing to make the Chateau Reynella wines. By 1985 he had become a Consultant Winemaker for Hardy and Chateau Reynella's red wines. At the same time he was on the lookout for a winery where he could base his own operations. He found the beautiful, but run-down, Mount Hurtle Winery in 1985, a derelict building, run down and dilapidated, it had been used as a stable for many years. It required two years of love, hard work and a special vision by Geoff and his supporters to restore the winery to its former glory. Today, Mount Hurtle Winery is an oasis among suburbia. Nestled in four acres of vineyards and landscaped gardens.

Great wine is made first in the vineyard, no stone is left unturned in growing the best possible fruit. Fraser Gallop aim to achieve elegance in their wines, wines that are interesting, complex, and layered – wines that keep you discovering. Through minimal intervention and the use of traditional techniques, as well as the latest technology, wines are created that show balance and finesse upon release, and have the structure and pedigree to thrive with careful cellaring.

Terroir is enormously important at Fraser Gallop Estate. It relates everything you taste, smell and see in a wine to the influence of its geographic origin, topography, soils, and vineyard/canopy management. To produce the best quality wines means to take care of every detail and make quality decisions at the micro level. Decisions at the micro level which lead to a tremendous experience at the macro level. In essence, the attention to detail from planting through to bottling, is unsurpassable.

Wilyabrup is a micro climate where cabernet in particular gives consistently great flavours. The selection of the property which would become Fraser Gallop Estate was undertaken between January and August 1998. Since first requirement was that the area produce outstanding cabernet, it was clear that the vineyard needed to be in the Wilyabrup region, home to producers like Moss Wood, Cullen, Pierro and Vasse Felix. The soils are rich, gravelly loams with clay sub-strata. These provide the attributes necessary for an un-irrigated vineyard.

Since Bordeaux style cabernets are the passion at Fraser Gallop, 17 acres cabernet sauvignon, one acre merlot, one acre petit verdot, one acre cabernet franc and one acre malbec were planted. The area has also produced wonderful chardonnay, so 18 acres were planted. The clones are massively important, Houghton clone cabernet was selected along with Gin Gin chardonnay. Eight acres of semillon were planted in September 2007.

The winemaking philosophy at Fraser Gallop Estate is essentially about wine quality. All vines are dry grown from planting, cane pruned, low yielding (three tonnes/acre reds, two tonnes per acre chardonnay), shoot thinned, leaf plucked, bunch thinned and hand picked. An intensive approach, but one that is reaping rewards. When the grapes are handed over to the winery, they are of a truly high standard. It is paramount that the fruit's qualities are showcased in the final glass. This means minimal handling of the grapes and treating the grapes with kid gloves. This includes hand picking, gravity feeding the press and minimal pumping of the wine.