sPHOTOGRAPHS:
CATHERINE
SUTHERLAND
THEREGION’S
TOPWINERIES
If, unlikeChrista,
youdolikea glassof
wine,herearesome
of themostinteresting
producersto visitin
Margaret RiverFArimiaWineryis
hiddendowna dirtroad,
a family-ownedbusiness
witha welcomingvibe,
andgood,honestfoodto
samplewithits organic
andbiodynamicwines
(arimia.com.au).FRusticandrelaxed,
StormflowerVineyardis
theantidoteto someof
MargaretRiver’smore
grandiosetastingrooms.
Thecabernetshirazis
highlyregarded
(stormflower.com.au).FOfferinga cellardoor,
winetoursandtastings,
petanqueandoutdoor
cinemain summer,Cape
Mentelleis oneof the
originalMargaretRiver
wineries,est. 1970
(capementelle.com.au).FThewinemakersat
BlindCornerprovide
a super-approachable
cellar-doorexperience
(noquestiontoodaft)
andproduceexcellent
biodynamicwines
(blindcorner.com.au).Grilledlamb,and
a kaleandquinoasaladat
CullenWinery.Opposite:
Surfers Point, Prevellyprizedby top localchefs,so full of flavour
Ican’ttasteit withoutwrinklingmynose.
Mikeistheverypictureofa country
farmer,witha greatbushybeard,sun-
leatheredfaceandbatteredwide-brimmed
hat.I struggledtokeepupwithhimas
hemarchedthroughhis65-acreproperty,
wherea thigh-deepseaofgreenfoliage
burstwithcolour.‘Ithastotasteof
something,’Miketoldmeemphatically,
poppinga gumball-sizedPrincipeBorghese
tomatointohismouthwitha juicycrunch
andnoddingwithsatisfaction.‘Thefruitand
vegyoubuyattheshopsdoesn’thaveany
flavour.I’m not interestedin anything
butthetaste.’AtMike’surging,I plucked
a brightredpiquillopepperfroma lowbush
andbit,savouringitssweetnessandthe
pleasureofeatingsomethingstillwarm
fromthesunshineit’sbeengrowingunder.
Imeanderedmywaybackthroughmuted
hillsandeucalyptthickets,wheremobsof
kangaroosgatheredintuftypaddocksand
spine-backedechidnasforagedindustriously
bytheroadside.And,ofcourse,I passed
endlessrowsofvines,whichfollowthe
contoursofthelandoverdipsandrises,
andseemtoconvergeatthefarhorizon.
MyjourneybroughtmetotheCullen
estate,notfora tasteoftheiracclaimedcab
sav,buttoeatatthewineryrestaurant,where
highwindowslookoutoverthevines.The
tendergreenleaveswerelittoanalmost
fluorescentglowby the afternoonsun. Soon
I wastuckingintomybestmealyet:perfectly
softlocallambwithhoumousmadewith
beetrootgrowninthebiodynamicgarden,
nomorethana fewstepsfrommytable.
Itwaswithmylastbiteofhoneymousse
withicecreamandcrumblingchunksof
honeycombthatI decidedevenI, withmy
embarrassinglackofappreciationforits
principaldraws,couldbeutterlysmitten
withMargaretRiver.I evenfoundmyself
wonderingif I shouldfinishmy mealwith
asmallglassofdessertwine,justincase.
ReadmoreonMargaretRiverandseeour
otherBestin AsiaPacificwinnersat
lonelyplanet.com/best-in-asia-pacific