Our land

The ancient soils in which the Devil’s Lair vines flourish today were forming thousands of years ago, centuries before Margaret River was named such and well before anyone dreamt of growing wine in the region. These nutrient-rich soils have provided sustenance for flora and fauna ever since, but remain changing at the hand of the natural elements and those who tend the land.

Since 1981 when Devil’s Lair was established, the viticultural team, under the guiding hand of Simon Robertson, has overseen a site that is visually understated, yet stunning, with a varied landscape of undulating slopes, blanketed by vines and vegetation, supported by the cool, maritime climate of Margaret River. With a keen sense of the idiosyncrasies of each block, the microclimates within the estate and the ways in which each and every vine responds in different conditions, Simon brings a sense of continuity with what was originally envisaged, what Devil’s Lair has become and what the future holds.

During this time, the team has sought to continually monitor and improve the site and encourage biodiversity. For every hectare of vineyard planted, there is 1.14 hectares of natural vegetation retained or planted.

Depending on the time of year, you’ll see sheep and lamas from neighbouring farms graze through the vineyards, to keep grasses down, guinea fowls and chickens, and the occasional kangaroo and emu. Our 14-hectare dam, which is used for irrigation during the summer months, is also home to fish and waterlife.

The Devil’s Lair site has EntWine Australia accreditation for both the vineyard and winery. EntWine Australia was launched by the Winemakers’ Federation of Australia (WFA) to internationally recognise wineries’ environmental practices according to recognised standards. EntWine certification monitors key aspects such as fuel, water, energy and fertiliser use allowing producers to calculate their greenhouse gas emissions.

The Devil’s Lair Winery also follows Freshcare, which is the largest Australian national on–farm assurance program for fresh produce; proudly providing on-farm food safety & quality and environmental certification with Codes of Practice ensuring that fresh produce is safe to eat, has been prepared to customer specifications and legislative requirements; and has been grown with care for the environment. Vintage to vintage, Devil’s Lair strives to capture the essence of the land in order to create wines that are revered in their own way.