Whicher Ridge is a small family owned winery close to Busselton, specialising in growing and making small batch wines. The couple behind Whicher Ridge, Cathy and Neil Howard, have created a range of bespoke and immersive wine experiences centred around their wine sensory garden, which demystify the world of wine for visitors.
Located south of Busselton in a quiet rural setting, the wine tasting experience at Whicher Ridge Wines is truly unique - it is the only cellar door and winery in Australia with a specially themed and planted Wine Sensory Garden. The large garden is beautifully laid out and planted with fruit trees, herbs, flowers and seasonal vegetables which describe and match the flavours, textures and styles of the small batch wines made at Whicher Ridge.
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 owned and operated by a dynamic team of two, Cathy and Neil Howard. The winemaker and vigneron 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 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 made in styles that celebrate their provenance and pair well with food.
Visitors can have a traditional wine tasting in the cellar door, or book into the Pick and Sip for a guided tasting in the Garden, join a Wander in the Garden experience in the morning, or relax in the evening at the Soirée in the Garden.
The Pick and Sip experience is a memorable, unique and one-of-a-kind wine tasting journey in the sensory garden. Discover where wine flavours come from, how the flavours develop in different wine varietals, find out how different wine styles are made, learn how to describe what you’re smelling and tasting in a wine, and find out how simple it is to pair wine with food.
Dogs are very welcome to visit too as long as they are kept on a lead as Whicher Ridge is a working farm.