Wine Tasting at the Chamber with the Geographe Wine Industry Association

Who's Coming

• More details about Talisman Wines

  Talisman Wines

  Upon arrival at the cellar door, nestled at the edge of a glass-like dam in a lowland of the Ferguson Valley, you can almost hear the memories of the Robinson Family. Cries of laughter from children jumping off rocks into the icy cold river-fed reservoir. Weekends of bark-and-leaf boats launching from the slippery edges of the water. Aimless afternoons spent adventuring through the bushland, a black brick-resembling walkie talkie for hourly check-ins the only reminder of the outside world and parents. In the late 1980s Kim and Jenny Robinson were on a mission to find their family the perfect country getaway. Kim, a geologist by trade (and at heart), an uncompromising list of environmental requirements was drafted. He cast his net from Perth to Esperance, and started the search. After setting foot upon the Ferguson Valley property, and witnessing the beautiful natural waterfall, Kim was sold. The family often travelled down from Perth to the property for weekends with their young children, and Kim came to realise the potential of the land as a vineyard. Initially established as a contract grower, from 1999 the vineyards produced fruit for a number of award-winning wineries in Western Australia. In 2009, the family made the decision to establish their own footprint, and start the Talisman label. These days Kim can still be found roaming the vines alongside his daughter Anita Robinson, the winery’s vigneron and the second generation of Talisman. Formerly a four year old member of the rock-jumping, bark-boat-building and bush roaming tribe – Anita now spends her time between Perth and the Geographe Wine Region managing the vines, and overseeing the winery and cellar door. Today, the third generation of Talisman’s are now in full flight. Anita’s eleven and nine year old daughters, and her older brother Jeremy’s daughters of the same age, relish in the same childhood adventures they once boasted of. The walkie talkies are smaller, and the cellar door now proves enormously entertaining with the girls often helping to take orders, but the same picturesque setting is painting the backgrounds of their childhoods in the Ferguson Valley.

• More details about Fearon Wines

  Fearon Wines

  Small-batch wines grown and made by hand in the Ferguson Valley and Geographe wine region, Western Australia. We’re Tim and Rachel - a winemaker and a wine sampler. After years living in Margaret River, we took a leap of faith and purchased our very own slice of paradise in the Ferguson Valley, drawn to the regions beautiful landscape and potential for growing exceptional wine grapes. We subsequently took on the lease of a neighbouring vineyard and began crafting wines that reflect the land, the season, and the hands that make them. Fearon is our shared vision: honest, minimal-intervention wines grown and made in a place we now call home.

• More details about Saint Aidan Wines

  Saint Aidan Wines

  A boutique family owned and operated Vineyard, Cellar Door Restaurant & Events Centre located in the picturesque Ferguson Valley, Geographe Wine Region

• More details about Rascals Corner

  Rascals Corner

  Rascal's Corner is tucked away in the lush green, rolling hills of the Ferguson Valley - a wine destination that has a unique terroir, producing wine that best reflects the soil, climate and winemaking philosophy of the region. Their winemaking philosophy reflects the belief that great wine begins in the vineyard and that wine is to be shared and enjoyed. Owners and good friends Russell, Carolyn, Kathy and Phil have created a 'sense of place' in the heart of the Ferguson Valley that exudes relaxation, a sense of fun, and the enjoyment of spectacular surrounds. With award winning wines and a simple, delicious tasting platter, Rascal's Corner is a welcoming, warm venue that prioritises flavour, personalised service and a beautiful simplicity. It is a business built on friendship and as such, the owners are always up for a chat and Lani the farm dog always up for a pat. Keen to enjoy the fun and flavour of Rascal's Corner at home? Look no further! Head to the wine store to find and purchase all of your favourite drops at an affordable price. Take a peek at the wine labels for a nod to the vineyard's history. Open by appointment only, offering intimate tastings to small groups (up to 8 people)

• More details about Smallwater Estate

  Smallwater Estate

  Smallwater Estate is located on the eastern side of the Geographe Wine Region and just a few kilometres south of Donnybrook, the apple capital of Western Australia. Smallwater Estate was planted in 1993 by John Small and his late wife Robyn with the intention of developing a marron farm and a vineyard to grow contract grapes. For the next ten years or so, most of the grapes were supplied to Cape Mentelle and it wasn't until 2005 when John decided to make his own wine under the Smallwater Estate label. Their first vintage in 2006 was a Zinfandel and comprised just 250 cases (3,000 bottles). Since then production has grown to 3,500 cases with 70% being red wines.

• More details about Green Door Wines

  Green Door Wines

  Green Door Vineyard & Winery is a small boutique establishment run by Ash and Kath Keeffe in the Ferguson Valley, 20 minutes east of Bunbury. Located high on the slopes of the Darling Scarp, the cellar door and vineyard offers panoramic vistas of the coastal strip from Myalup to Dunsborough. Ashley & Kath Keeffe purchased the run-down vineyard in 2006 and set about restoring and replanting, with the Grenache and Tempranillo finding near perfect conditions. Other varieties in the vineyard include Monastrell, Shiraz, Fiano and Verdelho. Ashley is very conscious of soil health and the vineyard is managed with a minimal intervention ethos, creating fruit with great flavour. All grapes are handpicked and basket pressed, with all wines made on the property by Ashley and consultant winemaker, Vanessa Carson. Various different wine making techniques are used including the use of Amphora pots for fermentation, cold soaking on skins and the addition of whole bunches to ferments. The focal point of the cellar door is the grand green door, imported from Fez, Morocco. The Moorish theme of the winery and cafe menu matches the predominantly Spanish/European characteristics of the wines. Ash, Kath and their team take great satisfaction in being involved in the whole process of growing, making and sharing the enjoyment of the wines.

• More details about Hackersley Estate

  Hackersley Estate

  After early searches for good vineyard land in the Margaret River area in early 1997, Jeff and Kerry Ovens identified this little piece of paradise in the Ferguson Valley in the south-west of Western Australia as the site for the development of a vineyard and restaurant. Awarded "5 Star Winery" status by James Halliday in 2013, the vineyard boasts a gold plate awarded restaurant and cellar door, which has been operating for over 20 years under the management of Aaron and Adrie Devitt. More recently, the property has been purchased by Murray Tognela, who manages the property along with his wife Lucy Nankervis. Together they are excited to further develop and diversify the property with a number of new initiatives being explored. Some of these include new plantings of Vermentino and Tempranillo, which are already well established and plans are in place to graft 900 Montepulciano vines later in 2023.