Warming winery experiences in the Margaret River Region

At Lenton Brae, colder days are best spent fireside – with not one, but two 360-degree fireplaces (indoors and out).

The onsite deli serves up local gourmet bites, ideal for grazing as you sip your way through the seasonal wine list. It’s a space designed for everyone, with indoor games to keep the kids entertained while you unwind in the leather couches.

Surrounded by sweeping views of the Wilyabrup vineyard, the atmosphere is warm, relaxed, and feels like a true home away from home.

The Bettenay family have been perfecting a French nougat recipe, making it smooth and soft with plenty of southwest honey. And happily, they’ve paired nougat and a toasty fire, a match made in heaven if you ask us.

They light the firepit outside and take you through a tasting by the fire with a warm shawl on your shoulders if it’s cold. Next, taste the nougat and learn to toast it by the fire, finishing with a Nougaretto liqueur-infused hot chocolate. Children are very welcome, plied with nougat and alcohol-free hot chocolate.

Following a fireside chat, come back inside to see the nougat being made through the window.

Bookings are currently available throughout winter and early spring, and if the fireside tastings have finished for the season (fire bans prevent it running during warmer months) then try the Wine and Nougat pairing instead.

Loved this? Visit Gralyn Estate, the region’s first cellar door, where their fortified wines will warm you up.

There’s nothing quite like snuggling up by the fire, wine glass in hand, watching rain fall on the region’s first vines at Vasse Felix. Taste at the bar, browse the art gallery exhibitions, then pull up a chair in The Lounge for wine, cheese and charcuterie. Looking like something from a design magazine, the Lounge features a suspended fireplace and floor-to-ceiling glass with superb views of vines, the winter creek and sculptures.

Also on offer are a range of behind-the-scenes tours, tutored tastings and delectable epicurean experiences. Upstairs, the restaurant blends modern features with original timber panelling and another roaring fireplace making it a supremely comfortable place to while away wintry afternoons indulging in modern Australian fare and fine wine.

Love the luxe surrounds? Also visit Howard Park for a superb cheese platter by the fireplace, in the cellar door that was architect-designed to ancient Feng Shui principles.

Visit another pioneering producer of the Margaret River Region and delve into the history of Cape Mentelle and its fascinating facts of winemaking.

The fire is blazing all day long making the cellar door a warm and welcoming place to taste exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon with its deep crimson colour and dark berry character. Taste at the bar, or book ahead for a private seated tasting in the atmospheric Barrel Hall with expert guidance from your cellar door host.

During summer months it’s a popular place to enjoy the outdoor cinema and become one with a beanbag, and come autumn and winter, it’s no less of a popular spot for their excellent behind-the-scenes Food & Wine Pairing Experience.

Experience all nooks and corners of the estate while you soak in expert knowledge of how wine is made from the process of crushing, fermentation, maceration, pressing and barrel ageing. A favourite part of the tour is feeling the chill of oak barrel aging Cape Mentelle wines in the barrel hall, to sitting down in the warmth and original vat cellar for food and wine – perfectly paired.

The rustic restaurant and cellar door at Glenarty Road is framed with timber, tin and glorious big windows looking out to verdant vines. Twin fireplaces keep us warm in winter, and a glass or two of Karridale Syrah (Shiraz made in a softer cooler-climate style) certainly helps.

Perch at the bar for a simple tasting or sit back, learn and listen during a private tasting with farm snacks to graze on. Book ahead for a set course lunch, or other popular experiences such as their farm tours, where you’ll walk amongst vines and macadamias, veggie gardens and hops, meeting farm dogs, lambs, chicken and ducks along the way.

Sustainability informs everything they do at Glenarty, from using sheep and guinea fowl as organic pest control and soil enrichers, to a minimal intervention winemaking style and paddock-to-plate ethos.

A love of music is the thread running through Skigh Wines. Winemaker Skigh McManus’ band used to rehearse in a rustic Yallingup barn, and for years he thought “this would make a great cellar door space”.

After five years making “lo-fi” lower-alcohol wines, they opened Skigh Wines cellar door on Abbeys Farm Road in 2020. It’s a warm, timber-lined barn with comfy furniture and a roaring fire in winter, and Skigh wants you to “have a really good time, not just sample 30 ml of wine.”

Live music is a drawcard, especially on long weekends, where touring or local artists play acoustic sets and DJ Mandy B runs Reset concerts a couple of times a year.

Down the road you’ll also find Goon Tycoons, another great option to let the good times roll into the late afternoon.

While Swings & Roundabouts is a dreamy spot to while away a summer afternoon, massive open fireplaces and an outdoor fire pit make it just as appealing as a winter winery experience.

Inspired by English-style bars and reminiscent of ski chalets lined with wood, Swings & Roundabouts Yallingup features two floor-to-ceiling chimneys and open fireplaces in the wine tasting room, and a cosy fireplace flanked by Chesterfield-style armchairs. Outside, a generous fire pit is beautifully landscaped and overlooks the adventure playground.

Love this? Visit Swings & Roundabouts Margaret River for a wood-fired pizza.

At Credaro, the fireplace is always on in winter, with comfy lounges, long tasting tables, and great music creating the perfect winter vibe.

Just 10 minutes from Dunsborough, the cellar door on Caves Road boasts stunning views over Wildwood valley – perfect for enjoying a glass on the Tuscan-style verandah on sunny days.

Sip your way through a stellar lineup, including the 1000 Crowns 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon – winner of Best Cabernet at the 2025 Royal WLD Wine Award. Then keep warm with bold Italian reds like Sangiovese, Montepulciano, Nebbiolo, or try the iconic Fragola, the wine that started the family legacy. And for something sweet, don’t miss the Alleanza Tawny NV – rich with festive spice and perfect by the fire.

Perched high above the coastline, Wise Wines serves up one of the region’s most unforgettable winter spots.

The cellar door oozes rustic charm, with incredible views over Geographe Bay and a crackling fire to cosy up beside. Grab a glass of their award-winning wine, sink into a comfy seat, and if the timing’s right on the cusp of spring, you might even spot whales playing in the water far below.

It’s everything you want from a South West winter – laid back, scenic, and just a little bit magical.

There’s something special about settling in for a long, flavour-packed lunch with a bold glass in hand – and Rustico at Hay Shed Hill really nails that feeling.

Their signature five-course tasting menu, featuring ten carefully crafted dishes, is the perfect way to indulge on cooler days. Even better, you get to enjoy it all with Hay Shed Hill’s award-winning wines, poured steps from where they’re made.

Plus, with the Rustico Ride offering easy round-trip transport from select hotels and central spots across Dunsborough, Yallingup, Margaret River, Cowaramup, Busselton, and Vasse, you can fully relax and enjoy your degustation without organising a designated driver from your group.