At the southern most tip of the grand continent and country of Australia is the gorgeous Margaret River Wine Region. The lush region is home to over 60 sprawling wineries, hundreds of delicious restaurants, and entertainment for the whole family. Margaret River Wine Region is predominately boutique wineries producing only one percent of the countries wine, however the region produces over 15 percent of Australia’s premium wine. Wineries use anywhere from 2.5 tons of grapes to 7000 tons of grapes. The boutique wineries are able to control the quality of their wine better than the larger commercial wineries found in other part of Australia. Many of the wineries offer free or reasonable pricing on their delectable wine tastings. The vineyards are the main attraction in this historical surfing area but they are not the only side to this beautiful region.

Among the luxurious and delightful wineries are the great restaurants for all appetites. Cuisines range from fresh fish caught right off shore to the italian and even native Australian food. Restaurants are mostly casual but there are plenty of fancier establishment for a romantic evening overlooking the green wine region or the powerful ocean. Local restaurants serve wine from around to region, giving guest another opportunity to try a new type or winery while at dinner as well. After a warm meal, gaze at the beauty of the region around you with a glass of rich desert wine or liquor from the Margaret River Wine Region.

Yes, that is right throughout Margaret River are distilleries of all types of alcohol. Most are smaller brands, that rarely leave the country for as an export but they all offering tasting and many have tours for the interested guests. Unlike the wineries the distilleries are fully operational throughout the year, therefore tours and purchasing can be done at any time. Scattered around the distilleries and wineries are unique specialty producers including sweet chocolate houses, fudge, and ice cream factories. As with the distilleries they offer an insiders view on the making of their sweets from start to finish.

For the more adventurous tourist, Margaret Wine Region boasts majestic hills and cliffs for hiking, rock climbing, and extreme bike riding. It is suggested visitors consult or hire a guide to travel on the beaten trails due to changing landscape and wildlife found in the area. Heading down to the shore, massive waves pound the shore year around creating a surfers paradise. Locals are usually surfing the waves and visitors are welcomed to join in on the fun or bask in the sun on the gorgeous beaches which line the coast.

The Margaret Wine Region is only a short jog from the city of perth, folks can travel by bus, train, plain, or personal vehicle to the gorgeous region. Traveling through the region there are hotels, bed and breakfasts, and select wineries have accommodations for guests. When visiting Australia, the wineries, distilleries, sweet factories, and fining dining found in the Margaret Wine Region are a must.

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This is our second review of Australian wine in only a few weeks. You may realize that Australia is a major wine exporter in particular supplying the United States and the United Kingdom. While this wine was bottled in the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales in Australia’s southwest, the grapes come from the Geographical Indication of Beechworth in New South Wales neighbor, Victoria. Beechworth was once a great place to dig for gold and is now considered a fine wine region, especially for Chardonnay and fortified wines. If money is no object search out Giaconda’s wines, including their Pinot Noir.

Wine Reviewed Pinot Noir New South Wales (Brokenwood Winery) 2005 14.0% alcohol about $ 20 There were no marketing materials so I’ll quote the back label. “This Pinot Noir is sourced from Victoria’s exciting Beechworth region, in the lower region of the Alpine Valleys. A very hot, dry season giving concentrated flavors… This is a ripe style with background French Oak and sappy/cherry Pinot fruit. The palate has strawberry flavors and lingering soft tannins. Drink over the short term with duck and Asian dishes. Our wines are now sealed with screw cap to guarantee quality and consistency.” Re screw caps: I want to mention that when I used adjustable pliers the bottle opened nicely. And now for my review.

At the first sips the wine was quite powerful with good length and tobacco but no tannins. Its first pairing was with an over dry commercially barbecued chicken breast but its paprika-dusted skin was nice and moist. This Pinot Noir was very present with some chocolate. With the tastier chicken leg it was excessively acidic. On the upside, this wine was chewy and mouth filling. Once again there was tobacco and no tannins.

The next meal involved a middle-eastern specialty known as kube, ground beef in crushed bulgar jackets accompanied by Swiss Chard and a slightly sour, delicious broth. This Pinot Noir was thick. I even got a taste of tar and black licorice. There was a lot of body but, at the risk of repetition, there were no tannins. They didn’t seem to be missing. I tasted dark fruit, especially black cherries. I finished the meal with smoked almonds and tasted tobacco and some earth.

My final meal involved fatty beef ribs cooked slowly with soft wheat kernels and accompanied by a moderately spicy guacamole. The Pinot Noir was round and thick with a lot of oak and a good length. Its acidity worked well with the meat’s grease. Not only the meat was chewy and it presented black, black cherries. The wine retained some power and all of its length when paired with the guacamole.

Before starting on the traditional two cheeses I enjoyed some Matjes herring. The wine was long, balanced, and mouth filling. The herring did not get in the way. A local Provolone actually weakened this Pinot Noir at first its acidity became slightly harsh. A tastier Swiss slightly weakened the wine, which was still powerful and long, oaky with the taste of tobacco.

Final verdict. This wine is definitely worth buying again and again. Next time I won’t waste it on the cheese. And maybe someday I’ll try Giaconda’s offerings. You’ll be the first to know.