What’s better than a tasting of world class Margaret River wine? The opportunity to drink in the view while savouring your glass.
What’s better than a tasting of world class Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon? The opportunity savour your glass at these wineries with a view.
The world’s leading wine critic Jancis Robinson described Margaret River as ‘as close to paradise as I have been on wine travels.’ Find below a list of nine wineries to help you plan an itinerary that’s a feast for your eyes as well as your taste buds.
The Wine Sensory Garden is the centre piece of the wine tasting experience at Whicher Ridge, with its plantings of fruit trees, herbs, flowers and seasonal vegetables which match the texture and styles of the family- owned winery’s small batch wines. You can do a self-guided tour around the garden or book a Pick and Sip Tour with Cathy Howard the winemaker. This hidden gem is located off-the-beaten-track, 20 minutes from Busselton, in the Geographe Wine Region.
A list of wineries with a view wouldn’t be complete without Wise Eagle Bay who are the only winery in the region that can boast ocean views. The views are spectacular over the Meelup old growth forest and Geographe Bay. These can be enjoyed over a long lunch at the Wise Restaurant matched with their award-winning wines or just enjoy a refreshing gin and tonic. James Halliday has noted the value for money of their range.
Swings & Roundabouts are known for their relaxed vibe. The ‘Swings Backyards Stories’ experience takes you on a guided tour through their 40-year-old dry grown Cabernet Sauvignon vines, whilst you enjoy a glass of Backyard Stories Sparkling. Then it’s onto the ‘Swing Seats’ set amongst majestic gum trees with views of the surrounding bushland and rolling vineyards, for a shared grazing feast and wines. The cellar door & restaurant venue was extensively renovated a few years back – industrial organic in style, filled with open fires, a dedicated wine tasting bar, VIP tasting room and huge feasting tables with some of the best views in the Margaret River Region.
Aravina Estate is a destination as well as a cellar door. The restaurant overlooks extensive gardens, manicured lawns and the lake. The alfresco setting has a classy resort feel, offering lunch five days per week (with pizza and boards seven days per week) with organic produce sourced locally. If you prefer a more relaxed dining experience, grab a table at the Riviera Pizza Bar or sit on a supplied picnic blanket on the lawn. On weekends live music is performed outside where children can play freely in the playground. Apart from the cellar door, there’s also a Sports Car Gallery with a collection of cars for you to browse through plus WA’s only Surf Gallery showcasing a collection of rare surf memorabilia.
You can find your own private spot overlooking the rolling vineyards and native bushland at Clairault Streicker with their Vineyard Picnic. Relax and take in the peaceful surroundings as you roll out the picnic rug and basket packed with goodies. The Vineyard Picnic is $75 for two and includes a picnic basket packed with a selection of dishes from their seasonal menu as well as salads, daily baked sourdough, cheese and house made crostini and lavosh. Perhaps a bottle of the Streicker Blanc de Blancs Sparkling to complete your picnic? Wines are made by the highly regarded Bruce Dukes. The quality of the Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah across their ranges is impressive.
For those who want to embrace the region’s full culinary bounty, head to Black Brewing Co where you can select from a delightful wine tasting, craft beer -or gin paddle. A modern menu with full flavoured food will also satisfy. And the view? Several outdoor viewing spaces overlook a lake, complete with a fountain.
The Cullen Biodynamic Wine Room offers a complete emersion into the biodynamic journey through seated wine tastings, dining and a self-guided biodynamic spiral garden tour. Biodynamic winemaking is enhanced organic winemaking eliminating artificial fertilisers and sprays and coordinating winemaking activities around lunar movements. The spiral garden allows you to stroll through the garden and follow the fascinating biodynamic process that is employed at Cullen. You can touch, feel and read about the actions and concepts. Cullen Wines are one of the region’s founding and greatest wineries and Vanya Cullen makes icons like Diana Madeline and Kevin John, Amber and the entry level ‘Dancing’ Wines.
Sitting beside the tranquil Wilyabrup Brook, the Juniper Estate cellar door is surrounded by cottage gardens and green lawns. You can enjoy wine by the glass at one of the picnic tables on the lawns under the shade of the trees when it’s warm. Voted Best Small Cellar Door 2021 by Gourmet Traveller Wine, the Juniper Crossing Range offers outstanding value at the entry level. Aquitaine Rouge and Blanc are two favourites, very well enjoyed with a picnic board put together by Providore just up the road.
You can choose from an array of wine tastings at Howard Park, both at the counter or tailored seated tasting experiences including a line-up of Jeté – their awarded méthode traditionelle sparkling wines. You can put together your own platter, made up from delicious regional produce – cheese, charcuterie and all the trimmings, matched to your favourite wine. Howard Park is one of Western Australia’s leading family wineries.
The view from Passel Estate’s tasting room is simply stunning as it overlooks the estate’s dam and Chardonnay vines with tall trees in the distance. Owners Wendy and Barry Stimpson fell in love with the property from the moment they stepped foot on it, and it’s easy to see why. Its gentle sloping vineyards are surrounded by spectacular granite outcrop and pristine bushland comprising jarrah, red gum, peppermint and ancient grass trees.
At Goon Tycoons in the Yallingup Hills you can enjoy both wine tastings and picnic style cheese boards overlooking a wonderful vista which encompasses vineyards, native untouched forest and an enormous body of water full of bird life. Not a bad place at all to fully enjoy the smaller vineyards the three founding guys stumble upon.
Overlooking a stunning backdrop of expansive fields and vines, Rústico at Hay Shed Hill offers a relaxed atmosphere and first-class service. From the cellar door or restaurant deck tables you can take in the view which stretches from each edge of the property, with undulating fields of vines, huge gums lining the perimeter whilst the Wilyabrup Brook splits the view in half at the lowest point through the middle. Take your time to sit back and soak up the views over a long lunch, enjoying Rústico’s degustation menu and premium wines, whilst the kids delight in the made-to-play on lawns.
