Swan Valley - a valley of wines, beers and chocolat

It is a pity that I did not do much research before heading to Perth as I treat it more like a free and easy kind of holiday. Good thing is I knew some friends who has been to Perth and also some staying in Perth itself. So, apparently Swan Valley is a place to go. Actually Swan Valley is also big part of the reason why we rented a car as it is not possible or probably very difficult to go there via public transport.

One of the thing that you must get hold before heading to Swan Valley is this map or what they refer to as 'Swan Valley Food & Wine Trail'.

So, obviously we didn't have it. We just used our GPS to navigate us to Swan Valley and reach to this spot, which I later found out is called Guildford town. We are not lost but I wish I could have read about it first because Guildford town is full of history and we totally just drove by.

From Guildford town, we search for winery and the ever reliable GPS bring us to this beautiful scenic road. OMG, it is so beautiful and calm and we know we are in the right track.

So anyway, if you can see the map, we drove all along Great Northern Highway and drove back to hit the two biggest winery on that particular road. The first we went to is the Oakover Winery.

It was already past 2pm and we were thinking of having lunch there but when we walk to the entrance, we shy back because there must be at least 10 tables occupied but we can't hear much sound. They are all couples having romantic lunch and whispers their conversation. Since we have a 5 year old boy with us, we wouldn't want to spoilt their lunch for them, so we back off.

Instead we walk to the cellar and decided to try some wine and end up getting 3 bottles!

Next, we head to Houghton Winery. The sky seems pretty scary and I must say that spring weather in Perth is just so unpredictable. One moment, you have bright happy sun shining down on you and the next minute you have the scariest grey cloud overlooming you. Good thing is although it rains, it stops like few minutes later or at most 10 minutes.

So anyway, we are definitely in the right place for lunch this time. In Houghton Winery they have a cafe which is sort of semi alfresco restaurant that provides beautiful scenery and it is definitely child friendly.

I couldn't help it, I just have to take a picture of the food they served in Houghton Cafe. The fish & chips with beer batter and the beef ribs is oh so yummy!

Houghton Winery also has a mini museum that shows the machines they use to make wines dated back since 1800s. So, apart from being a wine tasting trip for us, we can educate my son on how to make wines from grapes.

OK, I didn't take much pictures of the museum apart from these big barrels that always fascinates me.

This is the main structure and reception area where you get to taste their wine. Do you call it Cellar door? Anyway, it is absolutely classy all the way compared to most of the other wineries.

Just one snapshot of the winery. Since it has just turn spring, the grape trees has just been planted. It is not ripen or anything and so the view is not so breathtaking compared to my previous trip to Mornington Peninsula during the fall season.

Something that I have just been picking up for the past one year or so is to appreciate beer. I have never really been a beer person but recently a lot of the local bars back home has been introducing us to German beers and suddenly I realised that beer can be nice and fun. So while in Swan Valley, we took the opportunity to hit one micro brewery, Mash.

This is the first time I actually get to see this up close. Ahhhh ... freshly brew beer, that's the first for me.

They serves the beer in a very beautiful bar and guess what? They have a corner for kids complete with play station. So while the daddy and mummy is tasting beer, the kids can entertain themselves. Brilliant!


Brewery can also be more fun compared to the winery because while you actually pay for the beer, there is no pressure for you to buy say like bottles of wines in the winery after you get the free tasting. So you can just order as many as you like the mini mug and 'Cheers!' away.


Finally in Swan Valley, before we head back to the city, and after we got hold of the map, we decided to visit the Margaret River Chocolate Factory. I mean I have a 5 year old boy with me after all.

OK, OK, maybe I was expecting too much or maybe I was kind of visualising the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory movie scene. Obviously it was nothing like that. In fact all you get to see through a window is a 2 feet wide conveyor belt of chocolate falling into a bin and maybe 3 workers packing chocolate into a plastic case. Duh! It might not be like the movie but at least it can be more interesting right?

So being Asian, who equates food with travel, we of course sit down, have a cuppa and a truffle at the restaurant.

So, Margaret River Chocolate Factory really is a HUGE chocolate shop. Since we are already there, we might as well buy some and OK ... it is so darn good. Especially the one with berries coated with chocolate. Yum!




Location : Perth, Western Australia
Next, Fremantle Part 1 - the Markets