In 1896, great great grandfather Thomas Carter documented in his diary planting vines at Marybrook, one of the earliest recordings of winegrowing in Margaret River. Five generations later the Carter family are still growing grapes, and making wine, in Marybrook.
The vineyard follows the riverbank soils: a red-grey loam over deep ironstone gravel. Ian Carter started expanding the vineyard, without irrigation or grafting, to its current 45 hectares and remains winegrower emeritus.
His son David 'Davey' Carter manages the entire farm which stretches at its largest point from the high tide mark of the Indian Ocean to the Carbunup river crossing, almost 5 km.
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David’s twin brother Ryan Carter has been a winemaker for 25 years. He has been fortunate to work in Margaret River, Adelaide Hills, St. Emilion, Tuscany, Piemonte, Napa Valley and England before returning to family winemaking.
The Carter Chardonnay is the 'GinGin’ clone for which Margaret River is famous, confirmed quite recently to be distinct from both the ‘Mendoza’ clone and the ‘Davis Clone 5’. This clone is famous for finesse and clarity of expression, often characterised as assertive and bright.
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The Carter family winemaking business has been built for sustainability and minimum intervention. A maritime climate and deep gravel soil creates wines of flavour, structure, and character.
Maturation in fine French oak is unhurried, for length and complexity. As a point of pride, the wines are neither blended nor fined; all efforts towards perfection happen in the vineyard. Carter declines to pursue, or pay for, any external certification.