Sipping and swirling your way through a wine region is a staple of contemporary Australian culture, and the Swan Valley overflows with treats for tasters.
Although the Valley now only produces a quarter of the wine it made to two decades ago, it’s making better wines than ever.

The first impression of a Swan Valley wine is the ample flavour given by well-ripened Swan Valley fruit. The chardonnays can be quite a hedonistic experience, as can semillon and chenin blanc when it is not over cropped. The cabernet and shiraz varieties are New World wines in overdrive, the best displaying finesse through balance.

These are not intellectual wines, rather red and white bombshells that can be enjoyed as stand-alone drinks or matched with the weighty flavours offered by Swan Valley cuisine.
The Swan Valley upswing in wine quality through the last quarter century is exemplified by small family-run producers, where the real verve and pulse of the Valley is expressed.
Producers such as Lamont’s, Talijancich and Westfield are champions of diversity and are an especially fine source of fortified wines.

If sauntering through the Swan Valley for the first time, a visit to the historic wineries of Sandalford and Houghton is a required mission.

Houghton is Western Australia’s largest producer and it is telling that its most famous wine, Houghton White Burgundy, sports a regal blue stripe worn like a sash. Ever the princely quaffing wine, this white blend is one of Australia’s favourite wines. The revitalised Sandalford estate is in cracking form producing an array of improved wines and also features a guided tour with a historic driven angle that is second to none in Western Australia.

Instead of tackling the several hour journey from Perth to Margaret River or the Great Southern, remember that over 170 years of viticulture is a casual drive away.


by Benjamin Barraclough - Wine Writer