Whicher Ridge Wines

Star 5.0 (18 Google reviews)

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Whicher Ridge Wines

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Wednesday to Sunday 12pm to 5pm
Just a short drive south of Busselton, at Chapman Hill. The easiest route is taking Chapman Hill Road off the Busselton Bypass. Google Maps knows where they are!
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Located off the beaten track in a quiet rural setting, the wine tasting experience at Whicher Ridge Wines is truly unique - a small family owned winery, specialising in making sustainably grown and made, small batch wines. What makes them different, is their Wine Sensory Garden where you will discover how to describe the flavours that you are tasting in a wine as well as learning how simple it is to pair food with wine. Every tasting is hosted by the winemaker, providing visitors with the rare opportunity to talk directly with the person who has made the wines.
Being off the beaten wine tourist track definitely has its advantages for visitors as there will be no 45 seater buses in the carpark when you arrive. Instead, you will be greeted by the friendly wine dog, Polly, and receive a personalised wine tasting experience with the winemaker, Cathy. If you want to learn more about wine, and how it’s grown and made, then a visit to Whicher Ridge is a must!

The Whicher Ridge winery is small. It is family owned and operated by a dynamic team of two, Neil and Cathy Howard. The vigneron and winemaker couple have a combined 50 years of experience between them. They take a ‘hands-on’ approach to the growing of their grapes and the making of their wines and have a ‘tread lightly on the earth’ philosophy with their sustainable farming practices.

Whicher Ridge specialises in making small-batch, single-vineyard wines made from vines growing in the ancient soils of three of Australia’s most isolated wine regions, Margaret River, Geographe and the Great Southern.

Each of the wines are full of varietal and terroir specific flavours and made in styles that celebrate their provenance and pair well with food.

The Wine Sensory Garden is a truly unique wine experience being the only one of its kind in Australia. The Garden is designed in a figure eight, infinity shape with sections themed for seven different wine varieties. For each wine, there is a ‘Descriptor Bed’ planted with fruit trees, flowers and herbs which describe the aromas and flavours in that wine. The adjacent ‘Affinity Bed’ has plantings of fruit trees, seasonal vegetables and herbs which have an affinity for, or pair with, that particular wine.

All of the wine experiences are with Cathy, the winemaker.  Visitors can have a traditional wine tasting in the cellar door, or book into one of the Pick and Sip Experience options for a guided tasting in the Garden. For gardeners, there is an added bonus of an in-depth guided tour of the Wine Sensory Garden with Cathy. 

For a food + wine experience, visitors are most welcome to bring their own picnic or add on a gourmet platter when booking an experience on-line which is made by Hippo Lakes. Hippo Lakes is just down the road. 

Dogs are very welcome to visit too as long as they are kept on a lead as Whicher Ridge is a working farm.

Amenities

Location

Whicher Ridge Wines

200 Chapman Hill E Rd, Chapman Hill WA 6280, Australia

Reviews

Star 5.0 (18 Google reviews)
Suzanne Harrison 22 November 2023

Following a wonderful “Pick and Sip”morning sampling the wines at Whicher Ridge with vigneron and owner Cathy Howard, on a very informative and educational tour of her beautiful sensory garden, we have just enjoyed a glass of her delicious Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 all the more ! Highly recommended.

Mick Wco 13 August 2023

It's a lovely cellar door on the farm, next to their wine making facility. Great discussion of the farm and wines. It's an authentic experience with a great view of the vineyard. The wines were quality, and we ended up leaving with a dozen!

melissa Laurie 03 October 2021

Sensation winery. If you are looking for wines that have texture, flavour intensity, length and balance then this is your place. Cathy & Neil are exceptional at producing high-quality wines. I find their wines to be full of varietal and terroir specific flavours. The wines also pair well with food, I especially like the Cab Sauvignon. I would highly recommend!

Chris von Fintel 07 January 2022

Awesome scenery and service as well as great wine! The sensory garden is a great idea. All the wines we tasted were really good and it was nice to have the winemaker talk us through them. Well worth the drive to come here