You could spend this weekend at the mall, or you could tour the best wineries in Western Australia. Pop Up Wine Singapore selects its favourite vineyards:
Margaret River
(Three hours’ drive from Perth)
Winning form: Margaret River’s winemakers rave about their temperate climate and rightly so. This weather in this coastal area is similar to that of Bordeaux. Margaret River wines are renowned for having more of a “European” style than their counterparts from Victoria, South Australia or New South Wales. When shopping for wine in the area, expect unusually refined Cabernet Sauvignon, intensely citrusy Chardonnay and refreshingly grassy Semillon-Sauvignon.
Pop a cork at: In Margaret River you will be spoilt for choice. Three wineries to look out for include: Cullen Wines whose world famous Diana Madeline Cabernet Sauvignon was classified as ‘Exceptional’ by Langtons in 2005; Fraser Gallop which has an award-winning Bordeaux and Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as a hauntingly beautiful vineyard and cellar door; and finally Xanadu – an outstanding winery that has a hugely popular restaurant attached.
Matt Swinney of Swinney Vineyards in his vineyard
Mount Barker
(Four hours’ drive from Perth)
Winning form: South-East of Perth, this cool climate region is generally regarded as the jewel in the crown of the Great Southern Wine Region. It is known for tongue-tingling Shiraz, Chardonnay and Riesling.
Pop a cork at: Plantagenet Wines which has been producing highly-rated premium wine in the area since 1974. James Halliday gave its 2014 Chardonnay an “Outstanding” classification. What’s even better is that the winery has recently built a café next to the cellar door. Here the chef serves up an array of dishes designed to be paired with their award-winning wines. No wonder it’s seen as one of the best wineries in Australia.
Frankland River
(Four hours’ drive from Perth)
Winning form: Frankland River winemakers may claim that this inland area is the coldest wine region in continental Australia, while it’s not quite true as Tumbarumba in the foothills of NSW’s Snowy Mountains beats it, Frankland still produces some stunning cold-climate Shiraz.
Pop a cork at: Amelia Park winemaker Jeremy Gordon has received many awards, including the prestigious Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy (probably the most sought-after wine award in Australia). His Amelia Park Reserve Shiraz was recently awarded Gold at the 2016 Sommelier Wine Awards in London. However, to sample it you need to take a trip to Wilyabrup in Margaret River as this is where Amelia Park has its cellar door. Although you will find Swinney that was launched by a brother-and-sister wine-making duo. Two of their wines were recently added to the wine lists of The Ivy and Gordon Ramsay’s Savoy Grill in London.
Porongurup
(Four hours’ drive from Perth)
Winning form: Porongurup is a small sub-region located on the eastern slopes of the Porongurup mountain range. It is a cold climate region known for its Chardonnay and Reisling.
Pop a cork at: The picturesque Castle Rock Estate can boast many awards, chief among them the Winemaker of the Year award 2015 from James Halliday and Wine Companion. The vineyard is a must visit during any trip to Porongurup.
Several of the above wines are available in Singapore from Pop Up Wine.
James Hindle, 18/5/16.
This article was first produced for Lightfoot Travel in May 2016.