Day 2 of our 5 day Swan Valley food and wine trail. The highlights were "Speed Grazing", Caversham Wildlife Park and the prestigious Singapore Airlines Swan Valley Wine Show.
After a good night's rest in our comfortable room in Vines Resort, I kicked the day off to a hearty start with a full breakfast and espresso at Vines Cafe :-D
Hopping on to the colourful Speed Grazing mini bus.
"Speed Grazing" is basically a food and wine trail curated by Tour Bud Tours owner Loris Gundry. There are various "Speed Grazing" packages and we were on the "Sweet Morning Good Food & Wine Trail" with 10 taste and go stops, all in the Swan Valley.
Speed Grazing got off to a crackling start with multiple shots of caffeine at Yahava Koffee Works.
Natural honey at Windara Honey.
One of the most fascinating stops was to learn about "bush tucker" or Australian aboriginal food from Dale Tilbrook, owner of Maalinup Aboriginal Gallery. Dale let us try jams, sauces, chutneys and condiments made from native Australian bush plants. Some of the fragrances and tastes were new to me and I enjoyed all of them.
Learning about bush tucker reminded me about how well the land provides. We therefore have a duty to respect the land, take care of it and eat responsibly so that future generations can enjoy it too ;-D
Oggies Ice Cream Cafe serves many flavours of hand made ice cream.
We stopped at Windy Creek Estate for "cellar door" style wine tasting.
Windy Creek Estate is the type of memorable "cellar door" wine tasting experience that makes a deep impression.
Cellar door wine tasting is hosted by the owner, often in a simple shed extended from one side of the family home. Visitors sip wine while gazing out to the owner's vineyard. It's a kind of wine lover's heaven. (To think that this is just 5 hours direct flight from Singapore and at a budget which most families can afford. We are indeed blessed.)
Award winning Windy Creek 2013 Family Reserve Shiraz. Delicate yet powerful with layers of fruit flavours framed by creamy spiced oak. (AUD18.50 a bottle at Windy Creek).
The owner Ruth Cobanov truly made us feel like guests at her home. We sincerely shared her joy when it was announced (later that same evening at the SIA Swan Valley Wine Show) that Windy Creek Chenin Blanc 2015 was awarded the Best Table Wine as well as the Best Varietal White for 2015.
After all the tastings and shopping, we were glad to have a chance to walk off some calories while gawking at kangaroos sun bathing nonchalantly at the Caversham Wildlife Park. The roos were probably still trying to figure out why humans with cameras are so eager to hang around them while hopping about to avoid stepping on roo poo :-D.
The huggable koala is not a bear :-D
The obligatory picture with the equally reluctant wombat :-D
I merrily sang the ode to the Kookaburra as a child and did not get to see one until much later in life on Black Mountain in Canberra. Happy to see you again, King of the Bush :-D You look as majestic as ever.
With "Speed Grazing" and a visit to Caversham Wildlife Park, a food and wine trail in the Swan Valley can also be a family friendly holiday.
The highlight of the day was the 2015 Singapore Airlines Swan Valley Wine Show held at the sprawling luxurious Mandoon Estate Winery. As a wine noob, attending the wine show was an eye opener. I learnt a lot about wines in a single evening from tasting many (11 in all) top level wines (wine show finalists), and from the speeches and interactions with industry experts.
Three generations from Coward and Black Winery
I learnt that the Swan Valley wine industry is about tradition, family and passion from generation after generation.
Alex Ng, Manager Western Australia, Singapore Airlines which is a committed supporter of the Swan Valley wine industry addressing the wine making community.
Selena with Tony and Ruth Cobanov whom we visited just hours earlier in their vineyard were big winners that evening as their Windy Creek Chenin Blanc 2015 was awarded the Best Table Wine as well as the Best Varietal White for 2015.
Ms Sasha Stone from the City of Swan showing off the winner of the Singapore Airlines trophy for Best Wine of the Show - the Talijanchich Pedro Ximenes Liqueur 2007.
I treated myself to 2 glasses of this luscious syrupy velvety fruity fortified wine which smells like a fruity perfume :-D
Follow me as I explore the fascinating Swan Valley:
Day 1 itinerary <- click
Day 3 itinerary <- click
Day 4 itinerary <- click
Acknowledgement: My thanks to our gracious host Sasha Stone and The City of Swan for the fine hospitality.
Date visited: 28 Aug 2015
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