In our opinion, winery hopping is about more than the quality of the drop, it’s really all about the experience.
At these Swan Valley wineries, you can paddle in a lake, make your own wine labels and harvest honey; all while enjoying delicious vino to boot.
Here are some of our favourite Swan Valley wineries to savour in 2024.
Swan Valley Wines & The Swan Garagistas
If you’re chasing a natty wine, you’re in luck. A group of natural wine producers has formed in the Valley, called the Swan Garagistas. This motley crew are bucking tradition and creating some seriously unique and yummy minimal intervention drops. For tastings you’ll want to head to Swan Valley Wines’ cellar door—they’re open every Saturday from 10am until 3pm—where you’ll find wines from several members including Yume, Ohkela, Chalari, Local Weirdos and Chouette. You can also pre-book a 45-minute tasting experience at Chouette itself which is just down the road.
Harris Organic Wines
Buy your veggies from farmer's markets, shop fair trade, and make your own compost? Congrats, your moral compass is stick straight, and this winery is your new spiritual home. Free of pesticides, chemicals and fertilizers, Harris scores gongs as Perth's only organic winery and the only organic brandy distillery that's making vodka, brandy and gin in Australia. Keep an eye out for their tasting nights.
Lancaster Wines
Love wine but can't stomach the snobbery? Lancaster Wines is as down-to-earth as they come, serving up their fine wine from a tin shed. With some of the oldest vines in the Swan Valley, all their drops are gluggable, but the dessert wines are extra special.
Sandalford Winery
One of the most well-known wineries in the Swan Valley, Sandalford Winery is also one of the best. If you want to try something a little different, why not book yourself in for a wine cruise? Leaving Perth at 9.45am, you'll cruise up the Swan River and arrive by boat. How glam. Enjoy a delicious lunch at Sandalford before cruising back to town.
Oakover Grounds
Oakover Grounds has had a serious face-lift, and it's looking more like a cutting-edge city bar, with retro references and an industrial-cool fit-out. Except unlike urban joints, Oakover overlooks a big lake where you can rent paddleboards for free.
Yume
We're buzzing for the latest offerings from Yume, Swan Valley's solution for natural, experimental wines, mead and Ambrosia. In exciting news, Yume has partnered with the WA Apiarists Society (bees) to deliver Ambrosia Making Workshops so you can prepare the drink of the gods yourself. This hands-on workshop will cover everything you need to know about the fermented honey-based drink, including your own bottle to take home and enjoy later.
Riverbank Estate
Feeling a bit creative? Pair your wine tasting at Riverbank Estate with a painting masterclass overlooking the sprawling vineyard. Sip on their fabulous Chenin or Cabernet Sauvignon as you are guided step-by-step through painting a masterpiece—the wine helps, we promise. Book a table for lunch to round out your afternoon dining on the best seasonal produce in the Swan Valley.
Mandoon Estate
There's a lot more to Mandoon estate than award-winning wines, beautiful scenery and excellent fine dining. Learn about the stories of the area, the history of Mandoon estate, and local indigenous food and culture from Noongar Elder, Dale Tilbrook, with a Bush Tucker Tasting. Or, if you're a bit of a wine snob, challenge your tastebuds with an interactive winemaking experience, complete with your own blended bottle. Plus, their newly completed luxe accommodation, The Colony, is your excuse to explore all the estate offers and sip your way well into the evening.
Tyler’s Vineyard
The folks behind Tyler's Vinyard are exemplars of 'work with what you've got', making a diverse range of delicious drops from just one kind of grape, the Grenache. More reasons to love Tyler's: their adorable tin shed cellar door and rustic barn, a resident goose, and the fact that you can print your own wine labels right there at the cellar door.
Faber Vineyard
This Swan Valley winery scores a spot for all the parties they throw. Think local producer's days, summer sundowners, Christmas BBQs and plenty of long lunches among the wine barrels.
Upper Reach Winery
Upper Reach holds their Twilight Concerts in February and March, a series of intimate outdoor shows with awesome soul, swing and jazz acts alongside great food. If you're super quick on the uptake, you can even book a stay in a little cottage on the property, just stumbling distance from the concert.
Feeling hungry? Check out the best restaurants in the Swan Valley.
Image Credit: Sandalford