One of the biggest and most talked about wine regions in Australia, stretching 120 km between the Capes, the Margaret River wine region produces only 3 percent of the nation's grapes. However, the region accounts for over 20 percent of the premium wines on the market today.
A relative newcomer to the winemaking scene, the first grapes were planted in Margaret River in 1967, following a state government's glowing report on the suitability of the soil for viticulture.
Since then, the region has blossomed, with more than 5,000 hectares under vine, and over 120 wine producers – mostly boutique wineries – in the region today, producing top-notch wines that rank alongside the best in Bordeaux.
Margaret River enjoys a Mediterranean 'micro-climate', avoiding temperature extremes in summer and frost in winter. The region is best known for its Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, of which Leeuwin Estate (www.leeuwinestate.com.au) is the torch-bearer.
The Estate offers guided tours and tasting sessions at Leeuwin's Cellar Door. While you're there, be sure to dine at the winery's Gold Plate award-winning Leeuwin restaurant. There's also an art gallery which houses a collection of over 100 paintings and artworks, many of which have featured on Leeuwin's famous 'Art Series' wine labels.
Every year, owners Denis and Tricia Horgan stage what has become known as the Leeuwin Concert Series, attracting a host of famous musicians and singers to perform on the grounds of the Estate, including the likes of Ray Charles, Diana Ross, Tom Jones, Sting and Simply Red.
Just next door, the Voyager Estate Winery (www.voyagerestate.com.au) cuts a grandiose façade with its South African Cape-Dutch styled cellar doors, and traditional South African 'werf' gardens planted with rows of roses in a myriad of colors. 'Werf' gardens were commonly used as a strategic defensive layout to guard against intruders in the Cape farmsteads of South Africa in the 1800s. Despite their obvious aesthetic purposes on Voyager Estate, these gardens form an integral part of the winery's Cape-Dutch style that owner Michael Wright tries to create.
Voyager Estate is known for its Sauvignon Blanc Semillon, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. A great way to round off your experience at Voyager Estate is to tuck in to some fresh local marron (a large freshwater crayfish native to Margaret River) paired with recommendations from Voyager's award-winning wine list at the winery's restaurant. Richly decorated in Cape-Dutch style, with solid wood furnishings, open fireplaces and classical chandeliers, it makes for a warm and cosy dining experience. You might just find it difficult to say goodbye.
Aside from its premium wineries, Margaret River's pristine coastlines and huge waves make it a surfer's paradise. The annual Margaret River Classic and Margaret River Pro, a four-star World Qualifying Series event, are huge crowd-pullers. So if you're into surfing, don't forget to lug along your surfboard.
Most wineries in Margaret River are small family-owned businesses or boutique wineries, and Moss Wood, Cullen, Devil's Lair and Stella Bella Wines are some of the other notable boutique wineries to drop by. However, you do need to make prior arrangements with the wineries. This explains why a good local guide with extensive connections is a tremendous asset in such scenarios.
