Flowstone is a tiny little grapegrower and winemaker just south of the Margaret River township, in the beautiful Forest Grove area.
We are committed to growing and making wines that represent the region and vineyard site, and wines that tell our story.
“All of the 10 wines submitted from Flowstone appear in the 2021 Halliday Wine Companion, nine with a value rosette, and four with 97 points. This former Best New Winery is laying claim to best winery, not just best value. It is also striking that its Queen of the Earth Sauvignon Blanc should be in the 97-point group. Flowstone’s attention to detail is typified by the appealing label designs and that the labels themselves are made from 81 per cent limestone, the remainder bonding resin.” – James Halliday, August 2020
Just as the flowstones are formed with time and patience, to allow their true beauty and origins to be revealed, so are our wines.
Our vineyard lives on the edge of the Margaret River Plateau, where it adjoins the Leeuwin Naturaliste Coastal strip. 6kms west of this is the Indian Ocean.
This plateau is characterised by deep gravel soils on gently undulating slopes, dissected by valley streams. In stark contrast, the Leeuwin Naturaliste Coastal strip is a narrow discontinuous ridge of thick and porous limestone, deposited from the ocean by the action of wind and water over time. The Boranup Forest sits on this coastal strip and is home to many of Margaret River’s caves.
These adjacent yet contrasting landforms share the ancient and impermeable Leeuwin Block granite basement rock, which defines water flows in the cave world of the limestone ridge and the soils of the plateau. This basement rock is between 2000M to 650M years old.
“Every now and then a new producer will pop up with wines that are really good, and ultimately vie for inclusion in the list of ten of the best new wineries in the next Companion….this is one new winery that will quite certainly be in the top 10, for its ranks among the best I can remember.”
– James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion.
During the past 2 million years, the limestone ridge has provided an ideal environment for cave formation, as the granite basement rock has guided the underground water flows through this very porous cap rock. These underground water flows arrive in caves after percolation through overlying soil and rock.
Rich in elements and minerals leached from rock, soil and organic matter, these water flows give up their minerality to form frozen, crystalline, waterfall like formations called flowstones.
In the peace and tranquillity of this underworld a natural history is inexorably accumulated layer by layer in these beautiful and unique formations.
You can reach Stuart Pym by email at flowstone@flowstonewines.com, phone +61 (0) 487 010 275 or PO Box 570 Margaret River, Western Australia 6285. Cellar door visits can be arranged by appointment.
Flowstone winemaker Stuart Pym is passionate about his work and his wine. Have a chat to him by leaving a message here and he will personally respond.