Western Australia boasts the most picturesque wine regions in Australia and while the percentage of national wine production is very small, the quality is outstanding.

Margaret River is one of Australia’s most famous wine regions and dominant in Western Australia when it comes to chardonnay, semillon sauvignon blanc, cabernet and cabernet blends. In terms of winemaking, these varieties all originated in Bordeaux. This is not surprising considering both regions are strongly influenced by a maritime climate and are almost identical in many other ways such as growing season, warmth and rainfall.

In 2016, James Halliday, Australia’s most renowned wine critic and writer of the industry benchmark ‘Australian Wine Companion’, noted that Margaret River produced 14 of the top 32 cabernets, 7 of the top 10 sauvignon blanc/ semillon blends, and 8 of the top 30 chardonnays in Australia. Impressive stuff!

James also recognises Western Australia’s other premium wine region, the Great Southern, headed by the subregions of Porongurup and Mt Barker, as the major player in Australia for riesling. While historically Clare Valley (in South Australia) has been regarded as the premium region for this variety, in 2016 the Great Southern produced six of the best 17 rieslings, compared with just three from Clare Valley.

This is only the beginning of what you will find amongst Western Australia’s nine wine regions and more than 300 wineries. Each offer a diverse range of local produced wine, food, liquor, boutique beer and other attractions, hidden amongst some of the most stunning and pristine scenery in the country, making them equally outstanding destinations for both travel and lifestyle. Enjoy!