Houghton Wines
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Jack Mann (1906-1989)
One of the Australian wine industry’s true greats…
Established in 1836, Houghton set the standard for Western Australian wines. Moreover, many in the Aussie wine industry believe Houghton to be the most important winery in the history of Western Australia. This glowing reputation being credited to the skill and passion of one man, Jack Mann, a truly legendary Australian winemaker.
Jack was born on 19 March 1906 in Perth, son of South Australian-born parents George Robert Mann and his wife Griselda Maud. From 1910 George Mann was the winemaker for C. W. Ferguson, owner of vineyards at Houghton, in the Swan Valley. Apprenticed to his father, Jack (aged 16) worked on his first vintage in 1922, and in 1930 took over as winemaker at Houghton. At the Royal Melbourne Wine Show in 1933, 1937 and 1938 he won the championship for three distinct types of sweet wines; his oloroso sherry won the show’s blue ribbon for thirteen consecutive years. Also, in 1937 and 1938, his Houghton white burgundy was awarded first prize in the open class. A distinctive full-flavoured dry white wine made from chenin blanc grapes, it was likened by one judge, to the, ‘great white Burgundies of France.’ It was first released for commercial sale in 1938. Since 2005 Houghton white Burgundy has been registered as ‘white classic’, following the conventions of appellation agreed on by Australia and the European Commission.
Jack completed a staggering 51 consecutive vintages at Houghton, until his retirement in 1974 – his winemaking passion, creative genius and influence extended far beyond Houghton’s winery. Jack died on 26 May 1989 at his Middle Swan home – a profound loss to all that knew and loved him. That year the Wine Press Club of Western Australia established the Jack Mann memorial medal, which is awarded annually for outstanding contribution to the State’s wine industry. His achievements were honoured in 1994, when Houghton named its icon red wine, made mostly from Cabernet Sauvignon, in honour of the great man. Mann affectionately described Cabernet Sauvignon as, ”the only grape allowed in heaven…”
