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The Delights of Swan Valley
The 'Valley of Taste'
Situated at the foot of the Darling Mountain Range, the Swan Valley sits on the picturesque upper reaches of the Swan River and is a gastronome’s delight. An easy 25-minute drive from Perth, the valley is popular with both tourists and locals, who come by car, bus, train or cruise ship up the Swan River for a day of wine-tasting or restaurant-hopping, before returning to the more sophisticated pleasures of the city at nightfall.
Most of these visitors will make for the town of Guildford, the gateway to the Swan Valley, where they can wander around the town’s antiques shops, pottery stores or art galleries, looking for a bargain. A little more traveling would bring them to the towns of Midland, Gidgegannup or Bullsbrook. Each town boasts numerous restaurants for every type of dining, from al fresco cafes to gourmet restaurants, all featuring the delicious local produce that have earned the valley the moniker, ‘Valley of Taste’.
The vineyards that cling to the earth of the Swan River banks yield the valley’s most famous produce. Swan Valley is home to some of the oldest winemaking establishments in Western Australia, and is internationally known for the quality of its wines. A visitor can taste everything from crisp, dry Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc, to full-bodied Shiraz and rich, golden Chardonnay. Two of the must-stop vineyards in Swan Valley are the Houghton and Sandalwood establishments. Houghton is the largest wine producer in Western Australia, while the family-owned Sandalford Caversham Estate, which was founded in 1840, is the oldest vineyard in Western Australia, and one of the most prestigious. It even offers its own luxury cruise tour of the Valley. Many of these establishments are family-owned and still run by the descendents of the original settlers. Most of the vineyards have attached restaurants, the better to showcase their house wines, and are popular with Perth natives looking for good food and a break from the city.
Though not as famous as the vineyards, Swan Valley also boasts a number of respectable breweries, which produce an ever expanding list of brews that include pilsners, wheat beer, dark ale and stout. One brewery also offers a quaint German experience, featuring oompah music and hearty Bavarian fare along with its beer.
Fruits, chocolates and exotic livestock — alongside wines and spirits
Swan Valley also offers more than just liquid refreshments. Some of the most delightful attractions of the valley are the fruit orchards — at almost any time of the year, little stalls can be seen by the side of the road, where the farmers sell all kinds of fruits and vegetables. Everything from apples, strawberries, melons, asparagus, and assorted nuts. Visitors can also make arrangements with the farmers go direct to the source, and pick fruits directly from the trees — an unforgettable experience! Throughout the year, the farms sell products made from their harvests — jams, olive oils, dried fruits, honeys and more.
For a more decadent indulgence, visitors can stop by the Swan Valley Chocolate Factory and Café, to watch how chocolate is made and then tempt themselves with the wide variety of chocolate products — bars, creams, sauces, and other such confections. If something more savoury is desired, there is also the Swan Valley Cheese Company, a boutique operation under the master cheese maker Carlos Mendes and his family, who produce award-winning, Mediterranean-style cheeses such as Mozzarella, Bocconcini, Ricotta, Fetta, various mouth-watering Romanos’ and the flagship soft cheese Crescenza. The cheeses are featured in many Swan Valley restaurants. Interestingly, three of the owners are classically trained musicians, so live music is also a feature of the company’s calendar.
For visitors looking for a little variety, there’s also Gidgegannup, where the more experimental farms can be found, with livestock such as emus and alpaca, and aquaculture crops and the Valley’s best goat cheese. Further afield in Bullsbrook, visitors can enjoy not only the wonderful foods found throughout the Valley, but can also take the time to picnic, play a round of miniature golf or just walk around and admire the beauty of the Darling ranges in the background.
Some of the freshest and finest foods in Western Australia can be found just a short drive away from the city, in this valley known for the beauty of its landscape and acclaimed for the taste of its foods. Whether it’s fruits freshly plucked from the tree, or gourmet desserts served with the finest wines, Swan Valley has something to delight the palates of any visitor.
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There
are few things more memorable than having an excellent dinner in
a beautiful setting, surrounded by the friendly chatter of laid-back
locals, and anticipating the prospect of a long, exciting evening
out on the town. For visitors to Western Australia’s Swan Valley,
however, memories like these are just the kind they will take away,
together with sight of vineyards clinging to the sun dappled hills,
the sweet crunch of apples freshly plucked from the tree, and the
incomparable taste of some of Australia’s best wines.