Paul Conti

From humble beginnings in 1948, Paul Conti Wines has become one of WA’s most reputable and respected boutique, family-owned wineries. Located only 30 minutes north of Perth, the Woodvale property, which now houses a modern winery and restaurant, was the original homestead of Carmelo (aka Charlie) and Rosa Conti who, in 1927, immigrated to Australia from a small town in their homeland of Sicily.

The Conti’s raised eight children in the beautiful stone house which has since been converted into a fine dining restaurant, however the property was once the hub of a rural self-sufficient lifestyle. Based on black, fertile swampy soils the conditions were ideal for growing vegetables, planting an orchard and of course nurturing vines.

Cheese and milk, (thanks to the resident cow), pasta, sausages and of course wine were all produced at the property. Today, small historic reminders remain with the old fruit and olive trees still growing strong.

In 1948, Charlie began expanding the modest vineyard to cater to a growing domestic market. The original cellar located directly beneath the family home and which remains today, was dug out by two of the Conti brothers by horse (a stubborn creature, but fondly remembered as Mary) and scoop.

It was from this time onward that a then, young Paul learnt the traditional art of wine making and decades later, became an industry pioneer in his own right.

“It has always been our mission to produce full flavoured, elegant wines that reflect the unique qualities of the regions where our fruit is grown.” Paul Conti.

From 1968 Paul began upgrading the small winery and became the first vigneron to produce premium bottled wine from Tuart soils (a direct result of Tuart trees grown along the coastal strip where the vineyards are located). Early success was achieved with his award winning Mariginiup Hermitage [now called shiraz], an exclusive wine still made from the original vines planted on the Mariginiup vineyard in 1958.