Wines in Western Australia

Western Australia only produces some 3-5% of the total Australian output but what it lacks in quantity it makes up for in quality, often producing world leading wines from many small boutique wineries. 

The main  wine growing region is the South-West focused around the small town of Margaret River which is around three hours south of the capital Perth.  The second major region is the Swan-River region which is just to the east of Perth and hosts a major festival each year called “Spring in the Valley” which sees many local people going tasting  then swaying their way back to home.

Some noteable brands are Houghtons wine, Xanadu Wine and Sittella wine amongst the smaller varieties.  Very little of what is on offer in Western Australia reaches the European and USA markets but this is gradually changing.

Wines in South Australia

South Australia is the premier wine growing region in Australia, heading the way in terms of Tonnage, quality and accessibility.  You can’t go into any major supermarket or Off licences in Europe without finding a wine that originated in South Australia.

The most famous area is the Barossa Valley just to the North and East of Adelaide,  home to some of the most famous wines in Australia, including Wolf Blass and Jacobs Creek.  There are several other major wine growing regions all within a few hours of Adelaide.  These include the Coonawaraa region and Mclaren vale

If you are looking to visit the South Australia the wineries are a great place to visit and with Adelaide near by it makes an ideal day trip.  Be careful if you’re driving as it's easy to have a bit too much. Best thing to do if you fancy a tiple is follow the tourists and take a bus to do the tasting round trip, that way you don’t have to spit all the wine out! 

If you can’t handle very hot temperatures, the height of summer isn’t the best time to visit as temperatures can often hit 40 in Adelaide, although it is often cooler into the hills and valleys.