Whicher Ridge Wines

Being off the beaten wine tourist track definitely has its advantages for visitors as there will be no 45 seater buses in the carpark when you arrive. Instead, you will be greeted by the friendly wine dog, Polly, and receive a personalised wine tasting experience with the winemaker, Cathy. If you want to learn more about wine, and how it’s grown and made, then a visit to Whicher Ridge is a must!

The Whicher Ridge winery is small. It is family owned and operated by a dynamic team of two, Neil and Cathy Howard. The vigneron and winemaker couple have a combined 50 years of experience between them. They take a ‘hands-on’ approach to the growing of their grapes and the making of their wines and have a ‘tread lightly on the earth’ philosophy with their sustainable farming practices.

Whicher Ridge specialises in making small-batch, single-vineyard wines made from vines growing in the ancient soils of three of Australia’s most isolated wine regions, Margaret River, Geographe and the Great Southern.

Each of the wines are full of varietal and terroir specific flavours and made in styles that celebrate their provenance and pair well with food.

The Wine Sensory Garden is a truly unique wine experience being the only one of its kind in Australia. The Garden is designed in a figure eight, infinity shape with sections themed for seven different wine varieties. For each wine, there is a ‘Descriptor Bed’ planted with fruit trees, flowers and herbs which describe the aromas and flavours in that wine. The adjacent ‘Affinity Bed’ has plantings of fruit trees, seasonal vegetables and herbs which have an affinity for, or pair with, that particular wine.

All of the wine experiences are with Cathy, the winemaker.  Visitors can have a traditional wine tasting in the cellar door, or book into one of the Pick and Sip Experience options for a guided tasting in the Garden. For gardeners, there is an added bonus of an in-depth guided tour of the Wine Sensory Garden with Cathy. 

For a food + wine experience, visitors are most welcome to bring their own picnic or add on a gourmet platter when booking an experience on-line which is made by Hippo Lakes. Hippo Lakes is just down the road. 

Dogs are very welcome to visit too as long as they are kept on a lead as Whicher Ridge is a working farm.