Just 25 minutes from Perth’s CBD, you’ll find Western Australia’s oldest wine region: the Swan Valley.
With vines first planted in 1829, this historic strip of vineyards and cellar doors runs alongside the upper Swan River, and includes some of WA’s oldest plantings and longest-running family wineries.
With a warm-to-hot Mediterranean climate, featuring dry summers and mild, wetter winters, the most common varieties produced in the region are Chenin Blanc, Verdelho, Chardonnay, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon.
The only Australian wine region within a short drive from a capital city, the Swan Valley welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors a year to its stunning location, including the two wineries featured here.
First, some historical background…
The first settler ship from England, the Parmelia, arrived at the Swan River Colony in 1829.
On board was John Septimus Roe, a British naval officer and the expedition’s surveyor, who went on to become Western Australia’s first Surveyor General.
In 1840, Queen Victoria granted Roe 4,000 acres of land in the Swan Valley. The first vines planted on the property helped cement the region’s early role in Western Australia’s wine history.
Mandoon Estate
Originally part of the Roe family property, Mandoon Estate was established by the Erceg family in 2008, after purchasing the land in Caversham, Swan Valley.
The winery focuses on producing a boutique range of premium wines from well-preserved low-yielding single vineyard sites using traditional methods.
Featuring a cellar door, microbrewery, function centre, fine dining restaurant and outdoor beer garden, Mandoon Estate is the only member of Ultimate Wineries Australia in the Swan Valley, and will welcome anywhere from 2,500-3,000 visitors each weekend.
“We make about 11,000 cases of wine a year – made from our vineyards in the Swan Valley, Margaret River and a vineyard in Frankland River that we source for our Shiraz,” says General Manager, Andrew Pruyn. “But, unlike a lot of wineries, 70% of what we make is consumed on site.”
Wines produced by Mandoon Estate at the Swan Valley vineyard include: Verdelho, Chenin Blanc, Semillon and Frontignac.
Our wine pick…
Mandoon Estate ‘Block 1895’ Verdelho 2024
Planted in 1885 by the original estate owners, the Roe family, Mandoon’s Verdelho vineyard stands as Swan Valley’s oldest.
This fruity variety has aromas of tropical pineapple, passionfuit and citrus, with guava, pineapple and rockmelon on the palate.
Crisp and zingy, it’s the perfect pairing with spicy dishes and seafood.
Sandalford Wines
Founded in 1840, Sandalford Wines is one of WA’s oldest and largest privately-owned wineries, with vineyards in both the Swan Valley and Margaret River.
John Septimus Roe named Sandalford after a priory in Berkshire, England, where he grew up.
It remained in the Roe family until 1990, when it was purchased by a high-profile Western Australian hospitality family – the Prendiville family.
The vineyards at Sandalford have been producing grapes since 1840, but the modern vineyard was planted in the mid-60s, according to Senior Winemaker, Ross Pamment.
The evolution of the plantings was from fortified wines, then onto table wines.
“From 60 years ago there are probably a few varieties that were getting made and bottled that are no longer around,” says Pamment. “However, Chenin Blanc and Verdelho have stayed with us.”
Pamment says with plantings of Mediterranean varieties such as Fernão, Vermentino, Touriga, Mataro, and Grenache, ideally the best wine they make on the vineyard is blended white or blended red.
“Interestingly though, the market seems to want varieties,” he says.
Wines produced by Sandalford Wines include: Chardonnay, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Rosé, Verdehlo and Chenin Blanc, among others – plus a rare fortified wine, Liqueur Verdelho.
Our wine pick…
Sandalford Prendiville Reserve Shiraz 2020
A limited release Shiraz, only the best barrels of Shiraz (26 in total) were selected and blended with a small amount of Malbec to complete the overall structure and balance of this wine.
The palate is super concentrated with rich dark fruit flavours lifted with roasted coffee, mocha and sage bush.
Sweet ripe fruit, firm grainy textured tannins, and high-quality fine-grained French oak deliver an exceptional length of flavour.
For more on the wineries in the Swan Valley, visit www.swanvalley.com.au.
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Dining and Cooking