WINE DESTINATION Cellar doors Visitors have more than 40 wineries to choose from. Due to the expertise of the European immigrants, the region originally specialised in fortified wines and while those drops remain an important drawcard, these days there’s a rich and charismatic array of shiraz, , chenin blanc, petit verdot Swan and verdelho varieties to round out the experience. Sandalford Estate Ximénez, sold only in beautiful This premium producer is on five-litre American-oak barrels. all the tour bus itineraries and Steve matches it with Spanish Valley Mandarin-speaking staffer goat’s milk cheese and the Canfield is very busy today. He combination is sharp and The treasures of this renowned region pours me a tasty shiraz from warming. Olive Farm Wines a 43-year-old vine and tells me is the second-oldest winery don’t end at the vineyards. Its people the Chinese tourists are most in Australia and, while space make it special, too, writes Mal Chenu. interested in tasting wines that precludes raving about its Photography by Frances Andrijich. go best with spicy food. When two dozen reds and whites, he rushes off to perform more it’s an essential stop. linguistic feats, Caitlin takes olivefarmwines.com over, explaining how well the Prendiville Reserve and Estate Talijancich Wines JAMES IS reminiscing about his days as the coach of Reserve Shiraz go with beef Another heritage marvel and the Lithuanian women’s hockey team as he pours me and an open fire. fortified specialist is just down a shot of his Cold-Drip Coffee Vodka at Old Young’s sandalford.com the road from Olive Farm Wines. distillery. Down the road at food emporium Providore, Chantelle jokes about the estate’s the bloke overseeing tastings – a Sean Penn look-alike Mandoon Estate “archenemy” and says Talijancich’s named Ollie – is enticing the “epicurious” with Mandoon is only two years fortifieds are better. I try the dukkahs, chutneys, balsamic vinegars, chocolate old but its vines date back to award-winning 30-year-old Rare liqueurs, olive oils and barbecue beef marinades. 1840. Millions of dollars have Tawny, which has a base of 1959 ’s Swan Valley region is known been poured into this striking shiraz and is as smooth as silk. foremost for its superb food and wine but its people, as development, which includes Chantelle then breaks out the I discover during a two-day visit, are just as appealing. the restoration of the vines syrupy 2007 Pedro Ximénez Colonial settlers planted the first vines here in and an impressive art gallery. Liqueur she thinks is one of the 1829, making it Australia’s second-oldest wine region Self-confessed “cellar rat” finest the estate has produced. after NSW’s Hunter Valley. But it was Croatian and Rachael offers me a Portuguese- taliwine.com.au Italian immigrants who, from the 1920s onwards, style verdelho, her favourite transformed the region into a winegrowing centre. because of its mellow, easygoing Black Swan Winery Today, many of their descendants remain, players nature. Mandoon’s cabernet & Restaurant in a varied top-end epicurean destination. It’s just a sauvignon is its most awarded Barry Scrivener and Robyn 30-minute drive from Perth and while the locals variety and the 2012 Reserve is Meloury bought this property invade in huge numbers at the weekend, I find my one of the smoothest I’ve tasted. 18 years ago to run a couple of midweek visit ideal for lingering and having a chat. mandoonestate.com.au horses and fell into winemaking, Most of the valley’s treasures are centred on the with their first attempts winning 32-kilometre Food and Wine Trail, a delicious, enticing Olive Farm Wines two gold medals. Among their loop crowded with wineries, restaurants, cafés, The after-dinner fortified Stari offerings is cabernet franc breweries, distilleries, galleries and seasonal roadside (meaning “old” in Yugoslavian) – an unusual variety in the valley – stalls – and the passionate people who run them. is the star of the show at the produced as a standalone wine Here’s how to make the most of it. heritage, family-owned Olive and included in their CSFM blend Farm Wines. Steve tells me each (cabernet sauvignon/cabernet generation creates their own franc/). Meloury says version and current winemaker they use French-oak barriques to Anthony Yurisich’s Stari lingers in generate more toffee and cherry my mouth for a full 10 minutes. characteristics in the wines. I also sample the fortified Pedro blackswanwines.com.au

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Where to eat Where to stay So many gourmet venues, so few meals you can Sure, you’re close enough to Perth and could head eat in one day. Lunch options showcasing Western back to the city. But why not stay a night or two? Australian produce are plentiful but many winery B&Bs are the main option if you want to stay in the restaurants open only for dinner late in the week valley. Or there’s Crown Metropol, a luxuriously and at weekends. appointed hotel on the valley side of Perth. Breakfast Taylors Art and Coffee House (taylorscafe. Upper Reach Cottage This fully kitted two- com.au) is a local favourite. The signature weekend bedroom vineyard accommodation in the valley breakfast dish, Eggs Fabulousa, with smoked salmon, offers the palpable silence and starry skies that city wilted spinach and hollandaise sauce on a bagel, slickers have forgotten. Fire up the wood heater and is superb. relax with a glass of wine produced by Upper Reach Lunch The sizzle as I enter Sittella (sittella.com.au) (upperreach.com.au). Reneé guides me through ensures that I order the rosemary-roasted rack of some of their finest before declaring: “We produce lamb with sheep’s curd mash and baby carrots. Barossa-style shiraz, although we prefer to say Paired with Sittella Swan Valley Shiraz and the Barossa produces Swan Valley-style shiraz.” followed by Cointreau ice-cream and passionfruit, The Vines Resort & Country Club The only hotel this is the perfect lunch. Honourable mentions: accommodation in the area, Novotel’s The Vines Sandalford Estate Restaurant, Black Swan Winery Fried egg and avocado on toast (vines.com.au) is an upmarket experience complete & Restaurant and Fillaudeau’s Cafe Restaurant. at Taylors Art and Coffee House with on-site eateries and bars. Ducks quack, magpies Dinner Muscats Restaurant at Novotel’s The Vines (opposite); sample the Mandoon swoop and kangaroos graze right outside my room. Resort & Country Club (vines.com.au) is open Estate Verdelho or do a private Swan Valley Oasis Resort For a mid-level Tuesday to Saturday for dinner. The confit pork tasting in the winery’s underground apartment option, consider Swan Valley Oasis belly is highly recommended. cellar (right) Resort (swanvalleyoasis.com) in Henley Brook.

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Things to do You won’t be bored between tastings in the Swan Maalinup Aboriginal Gallery Celebrating the First Valley. Sample the wares at Mondo Nougat, Morish Australians of the South West region, Maalinup Nuts and The House of Honey. Browse a gallery, (maalinup.com.au), meaning “the place of the black bushwalk, take a picnic to Bells Rapids or engage swan”, is an art gallery that’s also renowned for the kids in The Amazing Valley Chase treasure hunt. its bush tucker. Check out the Bushtucker Garden, A FEW Cycling The valley’s scenic and mostly flat terrain learn how to incorporate lemon myrtle, quandong MORE means great fun for pedal-heads of all ages. The and mountain pepperberry into your cooking or join Swan Valley Visitor Centre (swanvalley.com.au) an evening corroboree for full sensory immersion in DROPS For quaffing in Guildford will give you a map and hook you up song, dance, storytelling and supper. Before you hit the with bike hire. Three suggested routes suit various Golf The two 18-hole championship courses at city and explore Perth, The 2010 John exertion levels, including the 10-kilometre Swan Novotel’s The Vines Resort & Country Club (vines. see our City Guide Kosovich Bottle Valley Heritage Cycle Trail that showcases the com.au) have hosted the Johnnie Walker Classic, at travelinsider. Aged Chenin Blanc. area’s history, nature and characters. the Heineken Classic and the LPGA Lexus Cup. qantas.com.au. Swan Valley chenins Caversham Wildlife Park Judging by the squeals Surrounded by pristine bushland replete with develop well in the of delight, this is a kiddies’ nirvana. Perfect for kangaroos and birdlife, the spectacular bentgrass bottle and after six overseas visitors, too, Caversham Wildlife Park greens incorporate deep bunkers and a challenging years this honeyed (cavershamwildlife.com.au) offers close encounters rough. Drive straight or make sure you bring drop is ready to go. with kangaroos, koalas, wallabies, possums, plenty of golf balls. There’s also a fun, hacker- The Oak Room at Tasmanian devils and wombats, as well as regular friendly Supa Golf course next door to Maalinup Sandalford Wines For cellaring talks and interactive shows. Aboriginal Gallery. also hosts functions The 2014 Black Swan Shiraz, which has just been released. The winery owners expect it to cellar nicely.

For a celebration The Jane Brook Sparkling Gold (Premium). For the connoisseur who The winemaker techniques and modern These days… I’m still actively has everything, John Kosovich, 78, second- equipment have made that involved but Anthony makes this sparkling generation winemaker at John easier over time. We pick all the wine. I’m up at seven o’clock has Kosovich Wines and father of the fruit by hand to ensure it’s every morning, ready to do been produced current winemaker Anthony. ready. The quality of the wine whatever needs doing. using the traditional reflects the quality of the fruit. I love… the whole journey and method and It all started when… my parents Our signature wines… I’m wouldn’t have missed it for quids. contains gold leaf. emigrated from Croatia just happy with all of them, really. The big challenge is… the hot before World War I and bought Our chardonnay has been the weather here. Temperatures are Something stronger the land in 1922. I was born here frontrunner for the past 25 years up and rainfall has been down Vodka and gin on the property and started and our 1990 chardonnay won over the past 10 years. You just fanciers are in for a making wine at the age of 15. Best Western at have to manage it. treat at Old Young’s Times were tough and Dad had the Perth Royal Show in 1995. The In my cellar… I’m very impressed distillery, where they to go railway-sleeper cutting for wine also won the Grand Gold with the wines from the Great create unique spirits three years to feed the family. It Medal at an international wine Southern region [of WA]. Some of complexity and was four or five years before we show for Croatian winemakers in of the from Mount depth. Try the 1829 got any money out of the winery. 1994. That was really something. Barker are sensational, as is Gin, Smoked Vodka Our philosophy is… we’re always The 1979 cabernet sauvignon is the Batista Estate Pinot Noir and Pavlova Vodka. trying to improve and superior the best red I’ve ever made. from Manjimup.

GETTING THERE QantasLink flies to Perth from eight regional destinations in Western Australia. qantas.com PER

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