Colin Bell
MASTER OF THE VINE
Award-winning viticulturist Colin Bell is one of Margaret River’s greatest champions, innovating in the field to help growers and winemakers produce world-class wines.
Colin starts most days at the crack of dawn with a surf or a run along the coast, before heading to the ‘office’ – in his case, the vineyards of Margaret River. As Viticulturist and Director of AHA Viticulture, Colin manages company vineyards and consults to wineries and growers to help them produce the best fruit possible.
Elevating a region
As a surfer and nature lover, Colin has the perfect job in an ideal place. Originally a horticulturist, he moved to Western Australia’s Margaret River in the late 1990s, attracted by the relaxed lifestyle and famous surf breaks. It was also an exciting time in viticulture, with vineyards being planted all over the region.
Colin joined AHA Viticulture in 2009, and in 2018 was named Viticulturist of the Year by the Australian Society of Viticulture and Oenology. He’s passionate about sustainable viticulture and over the years has learned to work with nature to grow great fruit.
Margaret River viticulturist Colin Bell knows that to make great wine, you have to have a lot of things aligned. Accepting the challenges that come with wine growing is just one of them.
“I think when you’re a younger grower, you feel like you can control Mother Nature, and I think as you get more experience you just learn to enjoy the ride,” says Colin. “Working with Mother Nature, you learn to accept the weather you get, and to accept whatever comes along and let that express itself [in the fruit].”
Always on the lookout for new ways to improve vineyards, grow businesses and evolve the Australian wine community, Colin embraces research and technology. He’s not afraid to experiment and to challenge the status quo.
“Wine is competitive and if you’re not being authentic and you’re not being brave and you’re not taking some risks, you’re not going to be able to differentiate yourself from the pack,” he says.
“Margaret River is such a special region and it’s evolved so much. Every year we’re finding new sites where we can produce great things.”
A champion for Margaret River’s boutique wine community, Colin wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.
“Margaret River is a place I will probably spend the rest of my life,” he says. “I’d really like to leave behind a better understanding of our soils, how climate works and what our vineyards can produce.
“When you’ve got a good canvas and a good landscape to work on, you can achieve great things.”
“If you’re not being authentic and you’re not being brave and you’re not taking some risks, you’re not going to be able to differentiate yourself from the pack.” – Colin Bell
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