The Winemakers - A young team

Fermoy’s qualified and experienced winemakers bring a fresh, youthful approach to the task of producing the estate’s premium wines.

Liz Dawson

Head winemaker Liz has worked in the wine industry since graduating with a wine science degree from Perth’s Curtin University in 2002. But after experiencing the Barossa Valley, Bordeaux and Napa Valley, she is convinced that Margaret River has that ‘something special’.

“It’s laidback but we also take our industry seriously. We have beautiful beaches, beautiful vineyards and a really strong food and wine culture.

“Here at Fermoy we have an outstanding vineyard which produces top quality grapes. We are in the heart of the Willyabrup sub-region – the golden triangle as it’s often referred to – with great soils, perfect climatic conditions, the ocean nearby – all of which combine to produce great fruit, most famously cabernet and chardonnay.

“It’s good to be involved in producing something that is enjoyed by so many people. Making really nice wine from grapes that come from our own vineyard – what could be better? Wine is the ultimate social thing: being with friends, having a nice meal and sharing a bottle. That’s what it’s all about.”

Coralie Garnier

French-born Coralie studied viticulture and worked in the wine industry in Bordeaux before moving to Australia in 2008. She has worked at wineries in the Hunter Valley and New Zealand, and since 2009 has been part of the Fermoy team.

“At uni, I was running the wine club with a friend. It was all about tasting wine with friends – in France you bond with wine.

“I remember when I was in Bordeaux we used to do blind tasting, comparing local wines to those from Margaret River and we usually couldn’t tell them apart. Margaret River is very special because unlike the wine regions of France where there is a single variety, here there is such a wide range of grapes grown.

“It’s a great industry because you get to see everything from growing the grapes to the end result of the wine in the bottle. Fermoy is wonderful – it is the smallest winery I’ve worked at but we have a great team and we’ve got time to do everything properly because we’re not producing huge volumes.”