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Voyager Estate

Organic, Vineyard-driven Margaret River at its Finest

The wines of this impeccably run estate ooze style and class. Even better, the quality continues to grow, reflecting the evolution in the vineyard and winery. It was Michael Wright who built this property into the beacon of quality it has become. While Voyager’s founder and visionary sadly passed away in 2012, he left a legacy of commitment to quality that today pervades every aspect of Voyager. The estate remains family-owned, with Michael’s daughter, Alex Burt, matching her father’s fanatical attention to detail with an environmental conscience that has kicked this estate into another gear.

Voyager is certified organic; all wines are estate-grown and reflect the unique climate and qualities of its home base in Steven’s Valley, Margaret River. They are in good company; Leeuwin Estate and Xanadu complete a revered triumvirate in this small but prestigious valley. Long regarded as a key subregion for the finest Margaret River Chardonnay, it can produce much finer and fresher Cabernet than the more northern subregions. The geology is among the oldest in Australia, and the gravel soils (free draining with a high mineral content), aspect and consistent maritime influence form the foundations of Voyager's perfumed, elegantly proportioned wines.

Winemaker Tim Shand joined the team in 2022. Perth-born Tim made the journey back west after an impressive near-10-year-stint at the Punt Road helm in the Yarra Valley. Together with viticulturist Mike Saunders, who joined in 2024, Shand has overseen a seamless transition to a new, exciting chapter, and the wines are reaping the rewards. 

Over the last 25 years, Voyager Estate has put the health of their soils, vines and land first. In conjunction with organic practices in all vineyards and the winery, there are specific clones matched to appropriate soil types; each plot of soil is micro-managed with specific viticulture and harvest dates; grape marc and kitchen scraps are used for compost; a telemetry-controlled irrigation system is used to conserve precious water resources; and each parcel of fruit is hand harvested and fermented separately. Time and resources are deployed where they matter—the vineyard. It promises to kick into another gear with the dawning of the Shand and Saunders era.

Voyager’s marquee wines, MJW Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, are rightly fêted among the region’s benchmarks. The estate also produces a range of Cabernet and Chardonnay wines at different levels, from single-block and estate bottlings to the brilliant, well-priced entry-level Coastal range. Then, there’s a silky and seductive Syrah and a brilliant new bistro-style red blend called Vivid. It’s a range stacked with quality–Margaret River at its finest. 

Currently Available

Voyager Estate Chenin Blanc 2024

Voyager Estate Chenin Blanc 2024

Fruit for the Chenin Blanc comes from three organically farmed estate blocks on the Voyager Estate property. Voyager has some of the oldest Chenin Blanc in Margaret River, with some of the vines planted as far back as 1978. The soils are mostly gravelly loams with stony clay subsoils, providing excellent drainage and good moisture-holding capacity. Yields are kept low, and the resulting fruit has coastal expression and exceptional balance. Voyager’s Chenin thrived in the sunny and warm conditions of 2024. The fruit was picked at full ripeness while maintaining a crisp, fresh line of acidity. It’s an intensely flavoured, beautifully pitched expression of Margaret River Chenin. Made in the classic Voyager mould, the organically grown fruit was picked by hand and pressed to tank immediately to preserve as much brightness and primary profile as possible. After settling, a small portion was sent to older French puncheons for fermentation and maturation, adding texture and weight to the final wine. The parcels were blended and bottled in June 2024 following a short maturation. This is fresh as a daisy, full of bright, pretty blossom and yellow apple, Meyer lemon and some talcy, stony depth. The texture is spot-on with great phenolic chew, puckering pinch and fleshy weight leading to a honey-touched finish. For the money, just magic.  

“This release has tightness, and structure. It has excellent flavour: nashi pear and apple, some toastiness, some grass, reduction and flint. It also has a quartz-like aspect to the finish, which feels quite something. There’s grip to this. There’s finish. There’s detail. There’s a lot going on in this wine and yet, courtesy of its cohesion, you barely notice. In short, it’s a gold medal chenin for me.”
94 points, Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front
“A really pleasing, spicy and fruit-driven offering but certainly not sweet or one-dimensional. It offers more. It’s in the tangy and juicy spectrum with honeydew melon, white nectarine (especially the skin), pears and lemon, too. The palate is light, bright, driven by refreshing acidity with a slip of texture, and there’s a savoury aspect, a quinine/tonic water, saline character. A delicious, drink-now chenin.”
95 points, Jane Faulkner, The Wine Companion
Voyager Estate Chenin Blanc 2024
Voyager Estate Coastal Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

Voyager Estate Coastal Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

The Voyager Estate Coastal Cabernet vineyards are planted in the Stevens Valley area which is located toward the coast, close to the township of Margaret River. The area is characterised by gentle slopes of red/brown gravelly top soils, about one metre deep, with a stony/clay subsoil. Located in close proximity to the Indian Ocean with its cooling sea breezes, nature provides the perfect microclimate for the development of exceptional Cabernet grapes. Made in a bright, approachable and fruit driven style, the fruit was destemmed but not crushed to preserve the whole berries. Ferments occurred in a combination of open, static and concrete vessels at 27 degrees to preserve aromatics and temper the extraction of colour and tannin. After pressing the wine matured in French oak and concrete tanks until blending and bottling in December 2021. 

A spicy nose of clove, coriander, paprika and redcurrants. Full-bodied with slightly chewy tannins. Linear on the palate with the spice character running the show. Licorice notes at the finish. Drink now. Screw cap.
92 points, jamessuckling.com
“Medium ruby with purple tints to the rim. Blackcurrant, broken slate, and tomato leaf aromas. Fruit is sweeter and plusher on the palate than the nose suggested but there’s good savoury minerality and herbal tones that bring it back to balance. Very good length that is gently driven by a fine grit of tannins. Good value here.”
92 points, Stuart Knox, The Real Review
Voyager Estate Coastal Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
Voyager Estate Sparkling Chenin Blanc 2023

Voyager Estate Sparkling Chenin Blanc 2023

As you might expect, Voyager’s foray into the sparkling arena has class plastered all over it. Perhaps surprisingly, however—given this producer’s enviable reputation with Chardonnay—it was crafted entirely from Chenin Blanc (drawn from Voyager Estate’s Weightmans Block 1). This patch of Chenin ripens and develops flavour early, giving full and punchy fruit character while retaining excellent natural acidity at lower potential alcohol. The fruit was picked by hand and pressed as whole bunches to tank for cool fermentation. A small portion (5%) of the fruit was siphoned off to ferment in a new oak puncheon, lending further complexity and flavour dimension. Made using the traditional method, following a short maturation in tank, the wine was bottled and remained on lees until February, when it was disgorged with a light dosage of four to five g/L. Cheninpagne!

“Produced via the traditional method, this is obviously a fresh style given its youth, but it’s made well. Full of yellow nectarine and lemon, some lightly poached quince sprinkled with ginger powder and the merest hint of toastiness, a touch of salinity, too. The dosage is low at 2.5g/L, yet perfectly poised, keeping this balanced and lively. A very good if uncomplicated fizz.”
94 points, Jane Faulkner, The Wine Companion
Voyager Estate Sparkling Chenin Blanc 2023
Voyager Estate Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2023

Voyager Estate Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2023

The wine is grown on Voyager’s gravelly loam soils. The Sauvignon (74%), from four different blocks with varied microclimates and flavour profiles, brings fresh, crunchy drive with tropical aromas and flavours. The Semillon (26%), sourced from the North Block 10 vineyard planted in 1995, contributes pithy lemon notes, palate weight and structure. Several years of organic farming and Voyager's controlled yields had the grapes in terrific shape for what turned out to be a stellar 2023 season with warm days, cool nights and no heat spikes. The whites displayed beautiful fruit purity and vitality. A small component (10%) of the Semillon fermented in barrel and aged on its lees, bringing additional complexity and texture to the palate, and the wine still has that clean, snappy close expected of this style.

“Lifted aromas of lemon blossom, wax, nettle, lime pith and white flowers. Fresh, crunchy, bright and full of zesty citrus flavours, passionfruit and green melon. The acidity has real zip and ping and there's a nice touch of phenolic grip delivering texture.”
91 points, Aaron Brasher, The Real Review
“A lot of texture and flavour going hand-in-hand to make this a very appealing drink. Smoky, grassy, lots of citrus, especially makrut lime leaves and Tahitian lime juice, hay and a refreshing juiciness across the palate. Some oak influence adding tannins and spice while bolstering the palate. A super-smart drink.”
95 points, Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion 2025
Voyager Estate Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2023
Voyager Estate Sparkling Rosé 2021

Voyager Estate Sparkling Rosé 2021

Voyager’s stylish Sparkling Rosé is comprised of organic, estate-grown Merlot (55%) and Shiraz (45%). The site and fruit selection for this wine is based on some strict criteria: light, red fruit flavour spectrum; and low sugar levels—ensuring the result has a more restrained and elegant profile. It was crafted in the traditional method and matured for only a short period to ensure freshness and vibrancy dictate the palate experience. 2021 was a great vintage in this part of the world, and the brightness and intensity of the year shine through in this wine. It’s summer-pretty, all red fruits, florals and pink grapefruit. There’s a bright fruity pop, a buoyancy to the mousse, a fleshy mouthfeel and a pleasantly round finish.

“Organic shiraz is the bedrock for this traditionally made sparkling wine. Tart and zingy, tightly wound bubbles, skittish and refreshing. Quiet perfume of raspberry and white strawberries, a dash of spice. Flavours set to similar spectrum with a squeeze of blood orange and tangerine, ie a little cloying sweetness in the pithy, off-dry citrus mix. Really delicious drinking and damn easy to do so. A nicely put together, elementary sparkling wine of character.”
91 points, Mike Bennie, The Wine Front
"Hand-picked organic shiraz from the Weightman's Block 3. Whole-bunch pressed, made in the traditional method. This is uncomplicated and delicious. Pomegranate and blackberry are the dead giveaway to shiraz, plus lashings of raspberry and watermelon that keep things light. This right here is perfect summer rosé."
91 points, Erin Larkin, Wine Companion
Voyager Estate Sparkling Rosé 2021
Voyager Estate Vivid Red 2024

Voyager Estate Vivid Red 2024

This is the second release of Voyager Estate’s vibrant, fresh and boldly flavoured Vivid Red. Winemaker Tim Shand has taken to Margaret River winemaking like a duck to water and, in no time at all, has put his talented stamp on the Voyager Estate wines. Vivid Red is a light red blend that gives a nod to Shand’s time spent in the Yarra Valley as chief winemaker for Punt Road. It’s a bright, pure-fruited, juicy wine made with spring and summertime enjoyment in mind. From a sun-soaked season in the west, this year’s blend mirrors its immediate predecessor, with Shiraz, Tempranillo, Grenache and Merlot. Fermentations took place in small, open-top vessels and included 30% whole berries, while the rest remained as bunches. After 14 days, the wine was pressed to mature barriques for three months’ maturation. There was no fining, filtration or addition of sulphur. This is jam-packed with bright berry flavour, pepper spice and delicious savoury depth. It slinks through the palate with tannic grip and sappy acidity to counter the textural weight. It may be just the second release, but Vivid Red is already a Voyager mainstay. 

“Gorgeously expressive, buoyant, soft, light but fruity. It’s a touch smoky/meaty/ferrous on the finish and that meatiness tames and shapes the wine. This is a beautiful drink, interesting, vivid in name and vivid by nature. It’s generous, soft and light at once. It brightens the glass and brightens the day.”
92 points, Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front
“A blend of shiraz, grenache, tempranillo and merlot, largely whole-bunch fermentation and left on skins for two weeks; as it’s PF (preservative free) there's no added SO2. And vivid red indeed, the colour a gorgeous dark purple shot with red. It’s vibrant and juicy – full of dark fruits and spices – yet savoury, with some charcuterie reduction done nicely, ironstone, too. The palate is lighter framed but not wimpy, tangy with lithe tannins and bright acidity. Chill it down in summer or enjoy as is any other time. Love it.”
93 points, Jane Faulkner, The Wine Companion
Voyager Estate Vivid Red 2024
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AT-A-GLANCE

• The 1978-founded estate joined Margaret River's top flight under the late Michael Wright, who purchased and expanded it in 1991.

• It is now run by his daughter, Alexandra Burt (née Wright).

• The family's custodianship is characterised by fanatical attention to detail with an environmental conscience, culminating in organic certification in 2023.

• With Leeuwin Estate and Xanadu, it makes up a triumvirate of esteemed producers sharing Stevens Valley.

• Since 2022, talented winemaker Tim Shand has been at the helm, joined in 2024 by Kiwi head of viticulture, Mike Saunders.

• Free-draining gravel soils with a high mineral content, aspect and consistent maritime influence form the foundations of Voyager's elegant, aromatic wines.

• Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon—from entry level through estate to single block— form the backbone of the estate, with exceptional wines from Syrah, Chenin, Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc also produced.



IN THE PRESS

“Voyager Estate is located on Stevens Road in the Boodjidup Valley, which is emerging as hallowed ground (Leeuwin, the western neighbour, Xanadu’s Stevens Road vineyard and the vineyards of Voyager Estate complete the trinity of prestige in this neck of the woods). The estate was established in '78 by viticulturist Peter Gherardi, and later purchased and expanded by Michael Wright in ’91. Michael’s daughter, Alexandra Burt, has been at the helm since ’05. As of ’23, the vineyard and winery are certified organic and there is extensive clonal and varietal experimentation in the estate vineyards.”★★★★★ Halliday Wine Companion

Country

Australia

Primary Region

Margaret River, Western Australia

People

Winemaker: Tim Shand

Availability

VIC, SA

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