Australia is full of spectacular food and wine regions, with two of the most famous being the Barossa Valley and Margaret River for world-renowned and award-winning wines and gourmet local produce – making them an absolute foodie’s delight! Not to mention stunning scenery all throughout the year, warm and friendly hospitality and a feeling of connection that will draw you back again and again.
Margaret river has quickly gained accolades over recent years for producing superb Cabernets and Chardonnays in addition to being home to some of Western Australia’s best beaches and gorgeous forests. Award-winning wines and scenic beaches on offer at the same time, I am sold! If you happen to be here on a Saturday then don’t miss the local farmer’s market in the actual township for spectacular breads, gourmet cheeses, fresh fruit and vegetables, freshly brewed coffee and rustic cannoli that will immediately transport you to Italy! It is very popular so get here early if you can.
Or you could combine this famed region with an iconic Indian Pacific train journey for the ultimate experience. Traverse the country from Sydney to Perth passing through Broken Hill and along the world’s longest stretch of rail line as your cross the Nullarbor Plain and into Perth for a short stay. From Perth you will travel south to Busselton Jetty (the longest wooden jetty in the world at 1841m long) and to the coastal region of the Margaret River. Your first stop is at Bootleg Brewery for a gourmet lunch platter and award-winning beer and cider tastings to get you in the mood. On to Sandalford Winery, who have a fascinating history of wine production since 1840, for some tastings of their premium wines at their rustic cellar door. The next day includes 5 guided winery visits paired with locally produced cheese and chocolate, to help cleanse your palate of course, followed by delicious winery platter for lunch before returning to Perth.
There are plenty of reasons why South Australia is known world-wide for its sought after wine and much of this is thanks to the famed Barossa Valley region and it’s big and bold Shiraz grapes. Spend your days visiting famous wineries including Seppeltsfield, Jacob’s Creek and Penfolds or explore smaller boutique cellar doors for something new. The Barossa also has a rich cultural heritage with the wave of German settlers in the 19th century with this German influence seen all throughout the Barossa region in both the architecture and food.
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Take the time to enjoy the area’s local eateries who pride themselves on making the mouth-watering most of premium local produce which will of course be paired with the perfect wine selection. Lunch at the award-winning Hentley Farm and dinner at fermentAsian are Barossa bucket-list items in addition to a visit to Maggie Beers Farm Shop for a bagful of goodies to buy!
This iconic wine region can also be combined with the Ghan Expedition for a food and wine lover’s dream. Boarding the Ghan in Darwin, with stops in Katherine, Alice Springs and Coober Pedy along the way, you will then arrive into picturesque Adelaide for a short stay. Your first gourmet food and wine experience beings at Penfold’s Magill Estate experience. Some of the world’s most famous and premium wines are produced here and you can sample these in a private room tasting of an exclusive selection of Penfold wines including the world-famous Grange, followed by a sumptuous lunch at Magill Estate Cellar door. The other South Australian winery experience in this package is in the Northern Barossa Valley for a day of cellar door visits including one of the oldest vineyards in the world where Shiraz plants began in 1843.
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Images courtesy of: Tourism Australia, Tourism WA, South Australian Tourism Commission - Sven Kovac & Grant Burge Wines - Dragan Radocaj
