Harris Organic Wines

Harris Organic Wines' Baskerville property in Memorial Avenue, was part of the district originally established for grape growing during the 1920s by people from the Dalmatian area of southern Europe (on the Adriatic coast).

These migrant settlers were to the Swan Valley as German settlers were to the Barossa Valley area of South Australia. In fact there are still many well-known and highly regarded second and third generation vignerons operating in the Swan Valley such as the Kosovich and Talijancich families. Other descendants of great pioneers to the wine industry such Jack Mann are still present in the Valley (Dorham, Tony and Corin Mann).

Other notable wineries are Houghton and Sandalford.

Duncan's ancestors were an entrepreneurial lot, with one Francois Girard, owning the Sydney Hotel and another, Michael Hayes, operating one of the first illegal distilleries in Australia.

Duncan grew up in Tasmania's Tamar Valley, and came to Perth in the 1980s, eventually buying the property at Baskerville in 1998. While working full-time as an engineer, he spent every spare moment working to establish his winemaker’s dream of an organic vineyard and winemaking facilities at the Baskerville property. The winery opened in 2001.

In 2001 Duncan built an underground cellar in which to store and mature wines in a cooler environment without the need for artificial refrigeration.

In 2002 he built a tasting room cellar door, which is much more comfortable than the back of the old winery shed - although many of our long-time visitors miss the rustic surroundings!

In 2007 Duncan reproduced the The Handbook of Horticulture and Viticulture of Western Australia - a labour of love and tribute to its author Adrien d' Espeissis.

In August 2009 we changed our name from LedaSwan to HARRIS ORGANIC WINES as we wanted to highlight our organic wines and the organics industry.

The first sparkling wine that was made on the premises is named "Madeleine Claire" after their daughter - this Methode Champenoise (Baskervilloise) is a vintage sparkling Chardonnay.

As of 2010 the first Australian certified organic brandy became available from Harris Organic Wines.