Dunsborough is at the centre of the Margaret River region, one of Australia’s most renowned wine growing regions. This area specialises in gourmet, locally produced food and beautifully complex wines, available at vineyards and cellar doors set amongst the rolling hills.
It’s easy to get lost in the bounty of this region so we have chosen a few must-visit locations that you can use as your very own gourmet trail! Also check out our culinary map, which is loaded with the best places to whet your taste buds.
Considered the Margaret River region’s founding vineyard, the first vines were planted at Vasse Felix in 1967 and it produced its first cabernet sauvignon in 1972. Vasse Felix continues to focus on cabernet sauvignon, along with chardonnay, shiraz and sauvignon blanc/semillon – all grown, vinified and bottled onsite.
Sample the vineyard’s produce for yourself with a private tasting experience at the cellar door or find out more about the vineyard’s history and practices with a tour, which can run from a basic one-and-a-half hour induction to full day, depending on how much detail you want. The tasting menu at the vineyard’s multi award-winning restaurant expertly pairs five courses with wines, or if you want to go a la carte, you can’t go past the toothfish.
Set on the Wilyabrup Brook, Juniper Estate is a boutique winery also considered to be one of the founding operations in the Margaret River region. The winery specialises in cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, shiraz, Riesling, sauvignon blanc and cabernet malbec, all handmade in small batches from hand-picked fruit.
The vineyard is open daily from 10am to 5pm and is proud to offer tastings at its cellar door, starting from just $5. While it is does not have a restaurant onsite, Juniper Estate invites people to bring a picnic (without wine) to enjoy in its celebrated gardens, either on the green lawns or at a sheltered table. The winery permits dogs to visit, if they are on leads.
One of the businesses where Juniper Estate recommends travellers source a picnic lunch is the nearby Margaret River Providore – with good reason. The Providore produces and sells its own food and drink, including gourmet wines, liqueurs, jams, olive oils, sauces, dressings, preserves and desserts.
In years gone by, country houses would all have their own orchard, vegetable garden, olive grove and vineyard, and what people ate would change with the seasons – the Providore seeks to replicate that model. Its range changes depending on the seasons and ensures what you eat is always fresh. Make sure you grab its gourmet hamper, with cured meats, jam, olives and rocky road.
Learn more about food preparation with experiences onsite including coffee roasting, wine tasting in the vines, collecting chicken eggs, picking seasonal organic fruit and vegetables, visiting the bee hives and guided chocolate tasting.
This vineyard began as a join venture between friends who just wanted to produce high-quality craft wine and is now in two premises: its cellar door and restaurant at nearby Yallingup and bar and restaurant in Margaret River town. Promising carefully selected grapes, Swings & Roundabouts specialises in sauvignon blanc, rosé, chardonnay and cabernet merlot. You can try all these and more at the cellar door, open from 10am to 5pm, seven days a week.
The Yallingup restaurant offers a diverse menu with a broad range of woodfired pizzas, homemade gnocchi, woodfired chickens, pork belly and cheeseboards. Make sure you leave some room to try an award-winning gelato at the onsite ice cream shop. Grab a space on the verandah, gallery or huge lawn and enjoy the open fires during the winter.
The family-owned Lenton Brae winery started in 1982, and is located in the hills of the Wilyabrup region, just a few kilometres from the Indian Ocean. The winery is the only producer of pinot blanc in Western Australia, and you can also try its cabernet merlot, Marsanne, chenin blanc and cabernet sauvignon, with vintages of the latter going back to 1987.
Lenton Brae has spacious grounds that are perfect for a leisurely picnic and specialises in platters which you build yourself. Visit the onsite deli and choose from the range of local cheeses, charcuterie, dips, bread, crackers and sweets, then tuck in! Or you can take home something with you.
Wayfinder is a rarity in the Margaret River region as it features one of the only restaurants open on Sunday night. The restaurant offers a grazing lunch menu from midday to 3pm, then a full menu from 3pm to 9pm, which features dishes to share, fish of the day, sliced sirloin and lamb cutlets. Wayfinder offers free wine tasting between 12pm and 5pm.
At its nearby vineyard, Wayfinder promises grapes harvested by hand, minimal intervention along the way and early picking to preserve aromatics. It specialises in sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, rosé, syrah, cabernet franc and malbec.
Looking for a fast start to the day or a sweet treat? Baked Busselton sells handmade breads, pastries, toast, wraps, croissants quiches and pies from 6am. Start with a gourmet coffee or hot chocolate, then return later and peruse their range of buns, biscuits, slices, cakes, turnovers, apple pies and jam donuts.
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