Visiting Margaret River Wineries

It’s the man and the friends' first visit to Margaret River. It’s my third. The first two visits weren’t counted since it happened a long time ago when I got dragged here with family and wineries weren’t high on that itinerary. This is a break for the man and I—a respite from the shock of having the dog. Grrrrr. The short flight, this mild winter, the scenery and vibes of Margaret River, WA are perfect for a vacation. We're in lovely company; I'm looking forward to get some good beer, eat delicious food and taste some great wines.

I know some old world wines, but I’m more interested in new world wines, favoring Italian reds and Australian interpretations and blends. I also like the convenience of screw-on caps. Haha. I’m not familiar with French wines, except for those vineyards from Burgundy which produce the reds and whites which I love (and Bordeaux for its merlot) and helped formed my first understanding of wine and shaped the palate. I definitely do not care two hoots about cellar potential. I'm not in the market as a collector or even to have a personal stash. As far as food and wine pairings go, I’m a noob. I’m not bothered with whichever wine complementing whatever food because the palate is generally comfortable with chardonnay and full-bodied reds, and will tend to stick to these two grape varietals.

There aren’t specific wineries that the man and I are extremely interested in. Margaret River has only been producing wine for the past 50 years. We understand that the area is more known for its whites than reds, so might as well come see a range of wineries and the styles of wine in this region. Our friends are way more knowledgeable about wines. They're intent on procuring some decent bottles to cart home. We shall merrily follow them to all the big and small wineries that they want to check out, and perhaps get a few easy bottles for ourselves. These prices are too attractive to pass up.

The cellar doors open at 10am and close by 4.30pm or at the latest, 5pm. Most are open 6 days a week. OMG. Our first sips of wine are going to be at 10.15am. WHUUUUT. Going for tastings at cellar doors this early, and at this volume meant that we mainly spit out the wines, and well, drinking those that we really like. Hahahah. The man doesn't mind wine, but he's not big on it. He still needs a beer in between wineries to feel sane. He likes those hops and stouts. So on this trip, he's the ‘skipper’, taking the wheel for most of the day when we lurk in cellar doors. He's enjoying the drives because we're not in the city. The country roads are wide, and the forests and vineyard vistas are splendidly calming.