Why visit Margaret River

Why visit Margaret River

A reader asks:

Is visiting Margaret River worth it? Cellar door and food are pretty much it. Grape juice is sent interstate to be processed.

Darby Replies

What an odd question! At one level you could say you can now get wine from anywhere around the world so you don't need to visit ant wine region. But there is a lot more to wine than just the liquid in the bottle.

Many wine regions are in areas of considerable scenic beauty and the Margaret River wine region is no exception.

On a personal note I have been to the region only once, in 2006, and I enjoyed it immensely. We were there in springtime, for the wildflowers and it was quite rainy - a minor nuisance but not every spring is as wet as the one in 2006.

The region is world renowned for its Cabernet based wines and Chardonnay, but there are many other varieties as you will see on the main vinodiversity page on the Margaret River Wine Region page.

As to the broader question about whether it is worthwhile visiting any wine region at all, I can only say that I enjoy doing so, not for the cheap wine, but I enjoy wine and food in context. It's not the only way to enjoy wine and food but it is a qualitative difference. There days with mass marketing over the internet and via mailing lists you can get most wines without visiting the cellar door. Having visiting wineries in all Australian states and in Italy, France and Spain I cannot imagine travelling without doing at least a couple of cellar door tastings.

So is it worth visiting the Margaret River Wine region?

I think so, even though Margaret River is a fair way from Perth and Perth is a long way from anywhere else. The town and region have plenty to offer beside the obvious wine and food venues. The buildings at Voyager Estate for example are worth the trip. While you are there you can also appreciate the wonderful beaches, whale watching, forest drives and walks. I'm sure the locals will be able to tell you more.

So my answer is a resounding yes, but others may prefer to buy their wine from a supermarket and take holiday elsewhere.

Readers are asked to use the comment link below to tell us what they like about visiting the Margaret River, or maybe you can agree with the asker of the question who seems to think it is not worth the trouble.