In 1922 the Baskerville area of the Swan Valley was subdivided for viticulture and the first vines were planted in 1923. Grapes have been planted on our land for a large part of the time since that period. However, the grapes were mainly for fortified wines and dried fruit.
My ancestors were an entrepreneurial lot, with one Francois Girard, owning the Sydney Hotel (1828) and another, Michael Hayes, operating one of the first illegal distilleries in Australia in 1805.
I grew up in Tasmania's Tamar Valley, and came to Perth in 1993 as an engineer, eventually buying the Swan Valley property at Baskerville in 1998. While working full-time, I spent every spare moment
building the dream of a vineyard and wine-making facilities in the Swan Valley.
The winery cellar door opened in 2000 and full certification obtained in 2006. In 2017 we celebrate 17 years of cellar door sales.
Tasting fees were introduced in 2002 with the new purpose built cellar door.
For those who would like to "do lunch" with my organic wines, I recommend the Swan Valley Vegetarian Cafe .
Duncan Harris
