Capel Vale began as a hobby for Sydney radiologist Dr Peter Pratten and his wife Elizabeth when they purchased land on the Capel River between Bunbury and Busselton in 1974
Capel Vale Winery, restaurant and cellar door, now sit atop the original vineyard site, Stirling Estate. Stirling Estate was originally the site of a stone fruit orchard in the 1930s. Consisting of rich, red alluvial loams over a limestone base, it possessed a natural, permanent watertable and was perfect for growing vines. The first plantings were in 1974, producing the first commercial vintage in 1980. After determining that the soils of the Capel area (now included in the EU registered Geographe Region) were best suited to Chardonnay and Merlot, it became the Prattens passion to determine the best region in South Western Australia for each of the main premium grape varieties. Capel Vale»
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