The Margaret River region is renowned for its world-class wines, craft breweries, fresh produce, and majestic scenery. Check out the many wineries and craft breweries, sample some amazing fresh produce at the Farmers Market on Saturday mornings. Margaret River is an amazing place to spend a weekend or even longer.
A couple of weeks ago, I travelled the 3 hours (approximately) to Margaret River for a girls' weekend. Despite having lived in Western Australia my whole life, it was my first time in the region. Determined to sample at least a bit of wine and of course some chocolate, I made sure to visit as many wineries as I could fit in.
Natural Beauty
Nature enthusiasts, make sure to check out the Boranup Karri Forest. These towering trees, some over 60m tall, are home to native birds, wildflowers, and many other species of flora and fauna. These impressive trees are the perfect backdrop for photos, a picturesque hike, or just a leisurely drive.
Another thing the Margaret River region is known for is the surf. With dozens of beaches and surf breaks along the coast, it's the perfect place to catch some waves! World-class surfers congregate in Margaret River each year, braving the waves at Surfers Point for the Margaret River Pro.
Along Caves Road, you will find the entrances into the amazing limestone caves that give the road its name. There are four caves to explore, Lake, Mammoth, Jewel and Ngilgi. On this trip, we didn't visit the caves, but I'm planning on going back to focus on them so I'll expand more on them then. But from pictures and reviews, they're worth a look!
Wine, Beer, and Food
Let's face it, you hear Margaret River and you automatically think of wine, right? Well, you're definitely not wrong! The Margaret River region is dotted with wineries, many with cellar doors for tasting and buying directly from the vineyard. It is almost impossible to miss the many vineyards around the area. Amongst the wineries are a plethora of craft breweries, most with a restaurant and/or tasting area. And don't forget to check out the amazing food on offer all around the area.
On my recent trip to the area, we visited the following places:
Colonial Brewing Co.
We visited this trendy craft brewery for lunch, so we didn't have tastings, however, a few people in my party had the beer tasting paddle that included 6 varieties. I had a glass of apple cider that was utterly delicious. Each person at our table enjoyed their food, ranging from pizzas to burgers, and even lamb shanks (these just pulled off the bone!). I had a fish burger and it was absolutely delicious! A fun thing you can do while you're here - hit some golf balls off their range!
Jarvis Estate
The staff at Jarvis Estate were amazing. When we got there, a busload of tourists were finishing up so my friend and I were seated at a private table to go through some of the wines available. When the tour bus left, we were treated to a tasting of their WTF (Wine That's Fortified) straight from the barrel! It was a fun experience and definitely worth the drive! I purchased a bottle of WTF and Miss Ella (Mistella), a yummy white dessert wine.
Evoi Wines
EVOI Wines have two lines of wines at their winery - EVOI, their domestic brand, and Bakenal, which they export to South America. We were greeted by the owner and sampled some of their delicious wines. I left with a bottle of their Bakenal Black Rosé. I like sweeter wines (I'm a Moscato girl, don't hate me) and this Rosé was delicious, it's drier than I usually like but there was still enough sweetness to compliment.
Margaret River Dairy Company
Cheese, yoghurt and ice cream, oh my! At the Margaret River Dairy Company there's so much to choose from that it's hard to walk away with just one thing! They have a cheese tasting of 3 cheeses, the range changes each day - the offerings on the day we visited were the Farmhouse cheddar, pepper cheddar and camembert. You can also purchase ice cream, butter and yoghurts, along with other gifts and bits and pieces like glasses, platters and games. We couldn't walk out with nothing, of course, so we purchased some Farmhouse chives cheddar, brie, and some truffle butter from Jardin Estate. Don't forget to get a photo with Cowntess as well!
Three Lily's & Sweet Things
At Three Lily's Gin, you can sample and purchase a variety of things - gin (in multiple flavours), wine and lollies! The wonderful people at the cellar door and sweet shop were amazingly wonderful people and if I could have stayed longer I 100% would have. For $15 you can get a gin tasting panel, including 6 flavoured gins - Gina Colada (Pina Colada), Lime and Chilli, Raspberry, Gin Cello (Limoncello), Mango and Ginger. They also have a classic gin, however, it is extra to taste that one too. Each one was as delicious as the next. We also chose to taste the three wine varieties, marketed under their Mootown brand - White (SSB), Pink (Moscato), and Red (Merlot). I'm sure you can tell which was my favourite but really they were all incredibly delicious. Here we purchased a full-size Pina Colada Gin, three-pack of small bottles of classic, pina colada, and lime chilli gin and a bottle of the Mootown Pink.
Margaret River Chocolate Factory
What's a trip to Margaret River without a trip to the Chocolate Factory. Chocolate enthusiasts, this is definitely a stop for you. Here you can sample some of the finest chocolate - milk, white and dark buds are there for the tasting, and purchase a variety of weird and wonderful chocolate treats. From Australian animals, to a map of our country itself, to golf balls that look so real you might forget and put them in with your clubs! There is also a cafe where you can have lunch or just a coffee - I recommend trying the chocolate fondue, it looked amazing!
If this is whetting your appetite for some amazing food, great wine and picturesque scenery, get in contact today to see how we can help you with a tour or self-drive holiday to our great South West!
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