WITH HUMBLE, FARM-VIEW CELLAR DOORS, LOVINGLY CRAFTED HOUSE-MADE CUISINE, BOUNDARY PUSHING BOUTIQUE WINES, AND INCREDIBLY RARE VARIETALS – DONNYBROOK PACKS A LOT INTO A SMALL PACKAGE WHEN IT COMES TO WINE. By TORI WILSON
Discover Wines of the World within Donnybrook
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onnybrook is renowned as the apple capital of Western Australia thanks to its rich and fertile soils, but what most don’t know is that it’s perhaps also the Geographe Wine Region’s best kept secret. Much of Donnybrook’s terroir comprises rich, loamy, and earthy soils with a layer of gravel allowing for free drainage; making
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it the perfect base for healthy vines that flourish when combined with the surrounding Mediterranean climate. It’s this combination of growing conditions, which are distinctly like parts of Europe, that have led to Donnybrook’s steady uptake of interesting Spanish and Italian alternative varieties, putting it firmly on any discerning wine aficionado’s radar.
What makes the area even more special is Donnybrook's boutique approach to winemaking. It’ll often be the same pair of hands that tend to the vines, craft the wine, and share it with you over a tasting at the cellar door, so, take the afternoon to discover these hidden gems for yourselves. Oakway Estate The drive to Oakway Estate sets the scene for what’s in store at this humble and homely cellar door. Perched overlooking a plantation of sustainable blue gum trees, a small herd of beef cattle, and the modest but flourishing vineyard; the cellar door made of corrugated iron and simple wooden interiors seats up to about 25 and welcomes patrons to sit back and watch the world go by over a glass (or bottle) of wine. Tuck into a freshly made woodfired pizza or a local produce-driven antipasto platter, including house-made chutneys, to complete the afternoon. “Our philosophy is to offer an approachable, enjoyable experience, whether you’re here or at home,” says Ria Hammond who owns the winery, tends to the vines, and runs the cellar door, with her husband Wayne. “Australia is a very laid-back place and sometimes people over think wine. The visitbunburygeographe.com.au
