This is a further sub-region of the Great Southern Region. Its name is a corruption of the Aboriginal word Purringorep and means place of the spirits.
Interest in viticulture grew slowly but positively after the publication of the favourable viticultural reports of Harold Olmo and John Gladstones in the 1950s and 60s. The first vineyard has been planted in 1974. There are no wineries presently operation within the sub-region.
The dominant feature of Porongurup is the Porongurup Range, a series of large, bare, granite knobs crowding on upon the other. The height of the range is about 600 m. Most of the vineyards are planted on the northern slopes below the knobs at about 300 m. The climate can be generally described as the regional climate of the Great Southern, but its worth mentioning, that the sub-region develops a thermal zone, which means a layer of warm night air. Therefore it has less temperature variability and extremes during the ripening period.
The main varieties grown in the sub-region are Riesling, Chardonnay, Verdelho, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Semillon. The major wine style from a national point of view is probably Riesling, a reputation gained from the early styles of Castle Rock, though cabernet also can be excellent.
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