Little River Winery is situated in Henley Brook on soil believed to be the best of the Swan Valley.

The 15 acre vineyard is situated in the picturesque Swan Valley, and is only a thirty minute drive from the centre of Perth, the capital city of Western Australia. Established in 1829, the Swan Valley is one of the oldest viticultural areas in Australia.

Protected by State and local laws, this small area of the Swan Valley must be used first and foremost for viticultural pursuits.

Our vineyard is planted with Shiraz, Viognier, Marsanne, Cinsault and Chardonnay.
We chose these varieties for their acclimatisation to warm summer temperatures and their tolerance to dry farming practices. After 3-4 years, when vines are established, we no longer irrigate, and roots must seek their own nutrition from the soil.

Old vines, such as our Shiraz, Chardonnay, which are over 60 years old, are capable of 40 metres of root penetration.
The Swan Valley is blessed, having a few of the usual diseases, which worry most vineyards.

The planting at Little River is more dense than is the practice in Australia and is more in tune to spacing in Vineyards of the Old World. The vines are planted from 1 to 1.5 meters apart and rows 2 to 2.5 metres apart.
Trellise use is a traditional VSP with 3 wires. Cane pruni

ng is mostly used, with 1 to 2 canes depending on the variety; Chardonnay is spur pruned.

Green harvest is intense to keep the yield per acre low and therefore improve the quality.

At Little River, we purchase the balance of grapes from dedicated growers in the Swan Valley, namely viticulturists prepared to not water their vines and hand pick when the baume or brick level is exactly right.

All fruits are hand harvested at dawn and processed immediately, in a cooled, temperature controlled environment.