The 20 Best Margaret River Wineries To Sip At Right Now
By Claire Logan
As beautiful as Margaret River/Wadandi Boodja is, it can be a bit of a rabbit warren, and if you’re not careful you can spend more time chucking U-turns or detouring around the (very large) block than sipping on vino. Lucky for you, here at Urban List we've made all the wrong turns so you don't have to.
Our wine-obsessed editors have sipped through the region's 90-odd cellar doors to bring you our tried and tested hit list of the absolute best Margaret River wineries—guaranteed to make your Margaret River getaways go down as smooth as your third cab sav.
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Vasse Felix
Caves Road (Cnr Tom Cullity Dr), Cowaramup WA 6284
Margaret River’s founding wine estate Vasse Felix has aged beautifully. Its stunning cellar door, restaurant and gallery fuses rustic charm and modern edge, creating the perfect spot to spend a sunny afternoon perched beside the region’s oldest vineyard, with some pretty good wine in hand to boot. Once you taste the Chardy, you won’t be able to resist stopping for a glass in the Wine Lounge.
Voyager Estate
41 Stevens Rd, Margaret River WA 6285
One of the region’s heavyweights, Voyager Estate does Margaret River's hallmarks (Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon) extremely well. Take a seat in the wine room and commence your wine flight, an award-winning tasting that may or may not be accompanied by one of their delicious share platters (we reckon it will be). You can also go for the whole shebang and just book in for a tour of the estate, which will take you behind the scenes where you can fill your glass straight from the barrel.
Glenarty Road
70 Glenarty Rd, Karridale WA 6288
If there's one spot on everyone's list right now, it's gotta be Glenarty Road. Yes, the family-run vineyard's farm-to-table feasts are absolute heaven, but the wines are just as elite. If you're not keen for the whole sit down lunch you can book in for a wine tasting at the bar, with the option to grab a lush little grazing spread and enjoy a wine or two picnic style out on the lawn.
Wills Domain
17 Brash Rd, Yallingup WA 6282
We've had a permanent crush on Wills Domain since the first time we sat down amongst the vines for one of Chef Seth James' delightful degustations. And while James may have flown the coup to create a new vision at Frui Momento in Margaret River, the team at Wills Domain continue to knock out aesthetically pleasing, technically brilliant and mind-blowingly tasty plates as if he never left.
Blind Corner
1105 Vasse-Yallingup Siding Rd, Quindalup WA 6281
Blind Corner is a little smaller and lesser known, but offers some of the best organic, minimal intervention drops around. We love this place for tasting styles like pet nats and the orange wines they're known for. But guests will also enjoy taking a peek into their sustainable practices, as well as checking out the bee-hives, chickens, biodynamic veggie patch, skate ramp, and bottling line on site.
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Sí Vintners
779 Davis Rd, Rosa Glen WA 6285
For something wonderfully different on your tour of the best Margaret River wineries, try Si Vintners. These guys are all natural—meaning your wine comes free of pesticides, fungicides and chemicals. The cellar door is open Friday and Saturday only, so if you're thinking of dropping in on another day, you'll have to hit 'em up for a booking.
Amelia Park
3857 Caves Rd, Wilyabrup WA 6280
If you’re someone who loves visiting wineries mainly for the cool cellar doors, don’t miss Amelia Park Wines. Theirs has been named one of Australia’s best cellar doors by Gourmet Traveller, and not least for its incredible fit out—the service and calibre of the wines on offer are also world class. But it’s hard to rival the dimly-lit, barrel-lined, modern yet rustic entrance as the highlight.
Cape Mentelle
331 Wallcliffe Rd, Margaret River WA 6285
The third oldest winery in the region, Cape Mentelle is another piece of the Margaret River history puzzle. Luckily, here you consume your history with a bit of grape juice on the side (or vice versa!). When this Margaret River winery isn’t busy making some of the country’s most esteemed wines, it can be found transformed into an outdoor cinema, entertaining the masses throughout summer.
Cullen
4323 Caves Rd, Wilyabrup WA 6280
Another pioneer of Margaret River’s wine industry, Cullen Wines is not to be missed on any good down south trip. Cullen does things differently on a fully biodynamic, carbon neutral and naturally powered estate, that features a downright beautiful granite and timber cellar door and restaurant. Go for a tasting with the friendly and knowledgeable staff or enjoy lunch under the peppermint trees while looking out over the vineyards.
Juniper Estate
98 Tom Cullity Dr, Cowaramup WA 6284
Enjoying one of the most picturesque spots in Wilyabrup, Juniper Estate sits among rolling hills and vineyards that seem to stretch for days. Here, you can do a tasting at the cellar door—open daily—and then enjoy your favourite with a glass by the Wilyabrup creek. The perfect place to take a break during a day full of wine touring.
Pierro
4051 Caves Rd, Wilyabrup WA 6280
Set in the heart of beautiful Wilyabrup, Pierro is best known for making what’s considered by many to be the region’s best Chardonnay, if not one of the best in the world. The cellar door is humble, and familial, and showcases the winery’s history with simplicity and character. Expect none of the fuss of the big wineries but all (or more) of the taste and prestige. Put simply: you can’t miss this one.
LS Merchants
163 Treeton Rd N, Cowaramup WA 6284
If there was an award for spinning the best wine yarn, we've gotta hand it to the guys at LS Merchants. They have a serious knack for making wine wankery genuinely fun and approachable. And with plenty of fresh minimal intervention blends to get stuck into each season (including plenty of reasonably priced buys), we guarantee you'll walk out with a new fave.
Larry Cherubino Wines
3462 Caves Rd, Wilyabrup WA 6280
If you like old Spanish homes, good wine and a little bit of swank, this one’s for you. Cherubino offers multiple ranges featuring wines made from hand-selected grapes from all over the South West and Great Southern. You’ll want to spend a whole day at the beautiful cellar door, a charming Spanish-style farmhouse complete with a barrel room for private tastings. You can even get accompanying antipasti or dinner by special arrangement, if you want to go all out.
Leeuwin Estate
Stevens Rd, Witchcliffe WA 6286
The last of the six founding wineries of the now world-famous Margaret River wine region, Leeuwin Estate needs little introduction to oenophiles and the wine-illiterate alike. If you’d thought about visiting this place simply because it’s one that you’ve heard of, you won't end up disappointed. But there’s a lot more to Leeuwin than meets the eye. Far from being ‘just a winery’, Leeuwin is a bit of a gathering place for those who appreciate good food, fine wine, music and art—all the good things.
Fishbone
422 Harmans Mill Rd, Wilyabrup WA 6280
While it’s the top-notch minimal intervention drops that many wine lovers flock to Fishbone for, this beautiful winery is just as popular for its food menu which boasts an array of incredible Japanese and Korean-inspired dishes. Fishbone’s iconic Joseph River Reserve range is an absolute must-try—this limited production label is crafted from small parcels of only the best locally grown fruit, and the Cab Sav has been awarded the highly regarded Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy, so you know it’s gotta be good.
Howard Park
543 Miamup Rd, Cowaramup WA 6284
Set among the towering trees at the highest point of their Leston Vineyard, the impressively modern Howard Park building overlooks the renowned Wilyabrup Valley. Here you can taste wines just metres from the hive of winemaking activity, sprawled out on spacious lawns, or curled up by the fire during winter. The estate is complete with an architecturally designed wine chapel for private tastings, gatherings and functions—that's our kind of chapel.
Aravina
61 Thornton Rd, Yallingup Siding WA 6282
If you aren’t familiar with the breathtaking property that is Aravina Estate, you are going to want to get there ASAP. Sprawling gardens full of pink and blue hydrangeas, manicured lawns and an intricate creek system, as well as a beautiful lake, welcome you into the cellar door and restaurant. A beaut place to while away an afternoon, enjoy the award-winning wines, a delicious meal and glorious sunsets over the vineyard. They also have a gallery of retro sports and muscle cars, just for something different.
Deep Woods
889 Commonage Rd, Yallingup WA 6282
Rosé lovers, you’ll want to go here first and drink all of the pink. Take a picnic, and enjoy the stunning vineyard views at one of the region’s most scenic wineries, accompanied by the bottle of rosé you just bought (inevitable). They also make a whole host of other wines that make for a pretty good tasting too!
Flowstone
11298 Bussell Hwy, Forest Grove WA 6286
Another one for those who want to visit the lesser-known side of Margaret River wines, Flowstone is a humble, tiny little grape grower just south of the Margaret River township. The wines are brought to us by Stuart Pym who’s resume includes names like Voyager Estate, Devil’s Lair and Stella Bella—so you can trust that you’ll find a good drop.
Moss Wood
926 Metricup Rd, Wilyabrup WA 6280
As another one of the founding estates, Moss Wood is an important piece of Margaret River’s history that can’t be missed—especially for the aficionados. You’ve got to be a member to visit the estate, but we reckon it’s worth it to get the unhurried, privatised, tailored estate tour and tasting experience that Moss Wood is famous for.
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