Our Story

Cape Grace is a true family affair – founded, owned and run by Robert and Karen Karri-Davies, whose family history in the region dates back generations.

Robert’s great-grandfather, M.C. Davies (pictured centre front below), was a pioneering timber baron who in 1875 built a mill at Karridale and constructed jetties at Hamelin and Flinders Bay to export local hardwood to England and the Far East. He also built the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse to safeguard passing ships from the treacherous coastline. Later, he established a livery stable and waystation at the railhead near the banks of the Margaret River – long before it became known for wine.

In 1996 – a century after the lighthouse was completed – Robert and Karen planted their 15-acre vineyard on the headwaters of the Wilyabrup Valley. Guided by a belief that great wine is grown in the vineyard, they set out to craft small-batch, single vineyard wines with a focus on sustainable farming and minimal intervention.

Their chosen site holds special significance – it’s the very land that Dr. Tom Cullity originally hoped to establish Vasse Felix on. With its unique terroir and ideal growing conditions, Robert and Karen knew it was the perfect place to build Cape Grace.

Cape Grace Wines is as much about nuance and art as it is skills and passion. Our wines are a true reflection of the timeless art of winemaking and local terroir.

Every bottle begins in our small, family-run vineyard – a unique ‘forest’ site where native trees shield the vines and biodiversity thrives. Low-intervention techniques and a patient, hands-on approach allow us to capture the character of each vintage and the nuances of our site’s blessed growing conditions.

Our first vintage in 2000 produced just 500 dozen bottles. Today, depending on the season, we make between 1,800 and 2,000 dozen – all estate-grown and vinified on site. The majority of our wines are sold through our cellar door and directly to our loyal community around Australia.

White varieties are harvested in the cool early hours to preserve delicate fruit aromatics, then gently pressed with free-run juice and light pressings fermented in a mix of new, one- and two-year-old French oak from a select range of coopers. Meticulous hygiene, temperature control, and minimal interference allow purity of flavour to shine.

For the reds, harvest is determined by flavour and tannin ripeness. Grapes are hand-picked, sorted, and fermented in small open-top fermenters, then hand-plunged for 7-10 days and left on skins for gentle tannin extraction. Basket pressing follows, with the wines then matured in French barriques for 12–18 months before final blending and bottling.

Our very first wine – the 2000 Cape Grace Cabernet Sauvignon – set the tone early, taking out Best Wine at the 2001 Sheraton Wine Awards. It was a precedent-setting win that laid the foundation for all that followed.

Cape Grace remains one of the great little wineries of Margaret River.

Robert And Karen Karri-Davies
Owners

Robert was a successful corporate photographer for twenty years, working in Australia, Asia and Canada. In addition, he’s been a heavy equipment operator, a welder and geological field assistant in both Canada and Australia.

Robert established the Cape Grace vineyard and personally attended to every vine for 24 years. Robert was also the hands-on winemaker at Cape Grace for the first 12 years, under the guidance of Mark Messenger.  

Karen was an international sales and marketing executive for the hospitality industry. Today Karen looks after the sales and marketing of Cape Grace Wines and you will  find her at the cellar door sharing her love of the region and her extensive wine knowledge.

Conrad Tritt
Winemaker

In 2020 Conrad Tritt took over the winemaking and looking after the vineyard here at Cape Grace.

It was in 2007 that Conrad found Margaret River with surfboard in hand, what was to be a 4 month contract turned into 2 years working in the region. An 18 month sojourn home to work for Neudorf in his hometown before coming back to Margaret River in 2010 which he now calls home. Since then Conrad has worked with Pierro, Watershed Premium Wines, and Vasse Felix. The experience of working for some of the finest in the region has built a strong foundation for growing and making great wines that reflect the characters of our special vineyard site.

Having worked 26 vintages including harvests in France, Germany, USA, Australia and New Zealand, the cliché of hard work in the vineyard and respective winemaking ring true in his ethos.

“Being able to reflect the great site we have here at Cape Grace and make exceptional, sustainable Margaret River wines is my focus. Cape Grace has a proven pedigree and I am stoked to be the current custodian to take it into the next chapter.”

Dylan Arvidson
Winemaker 2012-2020

Dylan Arvidson was the go to hands-on winemaker at Cape Grace from 2012 to 2020.

After eight years of lovingly guiding our pristine fruit from vine to bottle Dylan moved on to focus on his own label, LS Merchants and growing family, however he is always happy to lend a hand. We wish him well in his pursuits.

Mark Messenger
Consultant Winemaker to 2019

In the early days of Cape Grace, Mark’s guidance was essential to ensure our wines reflected their variety, site and season. Mark was Chief Winemaker at Juniper Estate.   

Lenny
Our Little Helper

Meet our newest four-legged team member, Lenny!

Lenny is a Chihuahua x Jack Russell and can usually be found hanging out at the cellar door with us. He’s a tiny bundle of joy that loves cuddles with our visitors.

Lenny loves to have other dogs visit Cape Grace and we continue to be a dog friendly winery.

Dusty and Lily
Family Pets

Adjacent to the cellar door is a collection of Robert’s Australian parrots, who are  refugees and a family pet. Dusty is the Sulphur Crested Cockatoo, hand reared and now 38 years old.  Her firiend is the beautiful Lily.

Great entertainment for young and old. 

Open daily from 10am to 5pm, our cellar door offers a warm welcome and a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the joys of being a small, hands-on winemaker. You’ll likely be greeted by Karen or one of the team – and of course, our beloved winery dog Lenny, who’s always up for a cuddle.

Step through our wine storage area, where you’ll find a collection of Robert’s photography, paintings and vintage winemaking curios, before arriving in the intimate tasting room. Here, you can explore our latest releases and learn more about our sustainable, single vineyard approach.

If you visit during vintage, you might catch some fermenting action or even join us on a winery tour – time permitting – for a look at the winemaking process in action.

Outside keep your eyes peeled for the majestic Great Egret – featured on all our labels – or, if you’re lucky, a rare glimpse of wild red-tailed black cockatoos.

Cape Grace is located in Wilyabrup, the beating heart of the Margaret River Wine Region – a site long celebrated for its gravelly loam soils, maritime climate and consistent sunshine. In fact, the region was first identified by Dr John Gladstones in 1965 as having striking similarities to Bordeaux. It’s no surprise then that this very property was the original site considered by Dr Tom Cullity for his pioneering Vasse Felix vineyard – but, thankfully for us, the farm wasn’t for sale. And so, history took a different path.

Every vineyard is unique, and our focus has always been on working with the land rather than against it. Guided by the belief that great wine is made in the vineyard, we farm sustainably with practices designed to preserve soil vitality and biodiversity – from composting and sheep agistment to biodynamic inputs and minimal irrigation.

Our 10,000 vines are treated like old friends. We’ve worked with them for over two decades, learning their rhythms and needs. Today, the vineyard is carefully managed by winemaker Conrad Tritt, who oversees every stage of the process from vine to bottle, ensuring pristine fruit of the highest quality.

Sustainability isn’t just a philosophy – it’s practical. We employ cane pruning and vertical shoot positioning for optimal sun exposure and ripening, while cover crops improve soil structure and reduce the need for intervention. We use minimal sprays (only naturally occurring sulphur and copper), avoid heavy machinery where possible, and rely on organic compost and manure to replenish the soil.

The result is fruit that’s expressive, balanced and bursting with regional character. Wines that speak clearly of variety, site and season. And a vineyard we’re proud to nurture for generations to come.

Traditionally owned by the Wadandi people, Margaret River’s unique geography and climate make it one of the world’s great wine-producing regions. The undulating landscape, shaped by watercourses and flanked by Marri and Jarrah forests, was identified in 1965 by agronomist Dr John Gladstones as ideal for viticulture. With well-drained gravel soils, abundant sunshine, and a maritime climate similar to Bordeaux, it offers near-perfect conditions for growing pristine fruit.

Vines were first planted in Wilyabrup in the late 1960s, with pioneers like Vasse Felix and Cullen Wines leading the way. Cape Grace is proudly located on a pioneering site where Vasse Felix had originally hoped to plant, and became the 27th winery in the Wilyabrup sub-region when it was established in 1996.

Today, Margaret River produces just 3% of Australia’s total wine – but over 20% of its premium wine – renowned for clarity of fruit, regional character, and elegance.

Beyond wine, the region is a haven for nature lovers and adventurers alike. From towering karri forests to wildflower-filled coastal heath, from tranquil bays and white sandy beaches to world-class surf breaks and caves, the region is a rich and diverse landscape to explore.

Walk a stretch of the iconic Cape to Cape Track, spot kangaroos or black cockatoos, or simply take in the ocean air – there’s a reason Margaret River leaves a lasting impression.

We hope you love it here as much as we do.

To learn more, visit the Margaret River-Busselton Tourism Association website.

Cape Grace Wines is proud to be part of the ‘Small Family Winery Trail‘ and ‘Drive Your Story: Cowaramup Harvest and Vines Trail’, a collective of independent producers offering authentic, hands-on wine experiences in the Margaret River Region.

Nestled halfway along Fifty One Road, just 10 minutes from Cowaramup and 20 minutes from Margaret River, our cellar door is tucked away among native bushland, surrounded by the very vines that produce our estate-grown wines. You’ll drive through our 15-acre vineyard to reach us, keep an eye out for kangaroos and birds along the way.

We’re often described as “one of the great little wineries,” and we wear that title proudly. Our cellar door is a humble tin shed in the forest, but step inside and you’ll find a warm welcome and wines with real personality.

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