Lonely Planet has chosen South West Western Australia as one of the world’s Top 10 Regions for next year in LONELY PLANET’S BEST IN TRAVEL 2010, published today.

BEST IN TRAVEL 2010 is Lonely Planet’s fifth eagerly-awaited annual collection of the best places to go and the best things to do around the world for the year ahead.

As one of theTop 10 Regions to visit in 2010, South West Western Australia “offers variety in spades,” Lonely Planet’s book says. “Well-heeled Perth weekenders make the three-hour trek from the big city to the gourmet paradise of Margaret River; families hit the Busselton beaches; walkers make for the tracks and trails that join Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin.”

“While word is out about the southwest,” the book says, “distance still dissuades many Aussie east-coasters – take the opportunity to make it here before they do.” However, Lonely Planet does acknowledge that “old-timers mutter darkly about ongoing development. Many locals have been priced out of the housing market and fear for a sustainable future for the region.”

Other regions to make Lonely Planet’s Top 10 Regions 2010 list are Alsace, Bali, Fernando de Noronha, Goa, Koh Kong Conservation Corridor, Lake Baikal, Oaxaca, Southern Africa and The Lake District.

Drawing on the knowledge and passion of Lonely Planet’s staff, authors and community, BEST IN TRAVEL 2010 showcases a year’s worth of inspiration to take travellers out of the ordinary and into some unforgettable experiences.

 Other highlights include:

✪The Top 10 Countries to visit in 2010: El Salvador, Germany, Greece, Malaysia, Morocco, Nepal, New Zealand, Portugal, Suriname and the USA.

✪2010’s Top 10 Cities: Abu Dhabi, Charleston, Cork, Cuenca, Istanbul, Kyoto, Lecce, Sarajevo, Singapore and Vancouver.

✪”Top Travel Lists” of the best experiences for the year ahead, from wildlife-watching in South Africa to catching a space flight launched from the Mojave Desert. Interested in rubbing shoulders with thousands of locals running a marathon? Explore the options in the “Magical Marathons” list. Or it might be something more pragmatic – such as an eye operation in India, which features on the “Medical Adventures” list.

✪2010 Travel Planner, with over 30 adventures mapped out month-by-month – from January’s Lowcountry Oyster Festival in Charleston, USA to New Year’s Eve in Paramaribo, Suriname.

Spring is in the air and warm weather trending to 30 degree temperatures for the middle of October is a pleasant change from the cold wet weather experienced in early spring, the vines are loving it. Already we can see recovery in the visual appearance of vine foliage as normal spring growth occurs and newly unfurling leaves are free from the damage caused by recent wind, cold temperatures and light hail.

The early indication of crop load for the 2010 vintage looks promising with many shoots showing 2 or 3 immature bunches. At this stage we call these bunches “Inflorescence” as they are promise of flowering (florescence) and therefore the future crop. From this point onwards we must protect the crop and monitor for pest and disease. Monitoring occurs regularly (at least weekly) and involves time spent specifically looking for pest and disease. In all work practices, vineyard employees are encouraged to be observant and report anything that is unusual. Spraying is done fortnightly to help protect the crop from powdery mildew, downy mildew and other damaging diseases. The chemicals used are Sulphur and copper – both naturally occurring products and acceptable in organic production. Monitoring will show if the need for more specific control methods are required. Other cultural practices such as shoot thinning, fruit thinning and leaf removal can be done to help reduce the risk from disease by allowing sunlight and airflow into the vine canopy. The sunlight has ultraviolet light and this is known to cause sterilization of disease pathogens and airflow allows a reduction in humidity and also indicates that spray chemicals can be efficiently applied to give full coverage within the canopy, both are very important in providing basic control of disease.

A lot of effort is put into minimizing the use of chemicals for disease control. Improving biodiversity in the vineyard environment is a system often put into practice. As you drive through the Margaret River region at this time of year, the colours seen in the vineyard pasture is an indication of the level of effort that some viticulturists are applying to increase biodiversity. With some care it is possible to move away from a monoculture (just growing grapevines) and to include many other flowering plant species into the mix of herbage grown to increase biodiversity. With a trained eye and some basic knowledge of plant species we can see flowering clovers, lupin, daisy, cape weed, chicory, brassica, medics, lotus, vetch. These compliment many grasses including oats, rye, tritacali and native species all grown in the vineyard as part of a greater management system.

Of course there are also weeds that grow naturally and there are some benefits from a natural balance of species which sometimes requires intervention to achieve the balance. We recognise the importance of biodiversity in plant species within the vineyard, as this forms part of the natural control of pests and disease. Beneficial predatory insects such as the many different types of wasps, lacewings and ladybirds all add to the natural pest and disease control. Many beneficial predatory insects will graze on flowering plants, using nectar and pollen as an energy source in preparedness for the development and emergence of other insects. Other cultural practices extend the benefits of biodiversity, for example when mowing in the vineyard it is common practice to cut alternate rows so as not to greatly disrupt biodiversity and then return a few weeks later to mow the uncut rows; This gives the beneficial insects the opportunity to migrate to unaffected areas of the vineyard and it reduces shock in the environment. Of course it is easy to understand what can be visually observed but we also realise that much within the vineyard goes unobserved. To a great extent this is at a microscopic scale and therefore difficult to see and therefore understand. Such is the case with certain types of beneficial microbiology. Traveling around Margaret River we often see spray carts out in the vineyards, the natural thoughts are that fungicides and pesticides are being applied. While this is often the case, we need to consider that science is allowing us to better understand other facets of plant health and disease control that involve using selected microbiology.

Organic principles are incorporated into normal vine care and there is ever increasing movement away from chemicals to improve the microbiological activity that occurs naturally in soil and also on the vines. It is becoming common to apply compost teas, milk products and other complimentary biologic additives that help enhance the vines immune system and/or introduce competing pathogens that help regulate the spread of damaging disease. Recently we have been applying some selected microbes into soil with the intention of improving plant health and to help with pest and disease control. Of major interest are fungal species referred to as Vesicular Arbuscular Mycorrhiza (VAM). The use of VAM in agriculture is now proving without doubt to be one of the most technical sciences in providing alternatives to chemical pest and disease control while improving plant health that results in higher yield and better food wealth. Simply, VAM works symbiotically with the vine root system to increase the availability of minerals to the vine. A complex outcome with certain species of VAM involves the introduction of naturally occurring organic acids from the selected pathogen to the vine, a system that provides a systemically acquired resistance “trigger” and this helps reduce infection and promotes plant health… Simply, healthy plants grown in healthy soils have fewer problems with pest and disease, a fact that many caring viticulturists in Margaret River are working towards understanding and improving. Contributed by Bruce Pearce

Join us on a behind the scenes vineyard tour on the Margaret River Discovery Company Best of the Best Wine Tour.

We had a good size fire touch the outskirts of Prevelly/Gnarabup on the weekend.

From all accounts a very narrow escape for the residents of the these seaside communities. And from the mouth of several of local brigade members “it was bloody scary”.

You know they are not overstating the ferocity of the fire when you can see the ember burns on their foreheads!

 The fire started on Saturday, FESA estimates that about four hundred hectares of bushland has been destroyed, at an area known as Blackboy Hollow, south-east of Prevelly. The flames came within meters of luxury homes in the coastal town, many residents fleeing to the beach.

Authorities are still trying to determine how the blaze started, but there is speculation that a local resident was doing a private burn off which got out of control and have added they’re shocked at how unprepared many house holds are for a bushfire.

The fire serves as a timely reminder to all householders to prepare for fire. Particularly in the South West of W.A where bushfire is a common occurrence in high fire risk zones such as Prevelly.

Coastal heath fire in the Margaret River region

I went camping last night at a secret little spot amongst the Karri trees in Boranup Forest. A beautiful evening under the stars, a warming campfire and a  bottle of Edwards Cab Sauv made for some very contented campers.

Just after sunset we were joined by some similarly contented Southern  Brown Nosed Bandicoot’s or Quenda as the local Aboriginal people know them

Bandicoots are multi-oestrus, meaning they breed at several times during the year, not just in one short season. Female bandicoots have very tiny babies, which are born after only 12 1/2 days’ gestation. This is believed to be the shortest gestation period of any mammal. The babies climb into the mother’s pouch the same way baby kangaroos do. They drink milk and grow, until they are big enough to come out of the pouch. When they are about three months old they can begin to live by themselves. Female bandicoots can have as many as five babies, but usually only one or two survive.

Southern Brown Nose Bandicoot or Quenda

Bandicoot pouches are open at the back, not at the top like kangaroo pouches. Bandicoots spend most of their time on all four feet. They do a lot of digging. If the pouch opened at the top, it would get full of dirt, which wouldn’t be very nice for the baby bandicoots-also the extra cargo would slow down the bandicoot when she was running from a predator.

The Quenda is on the threatened list. Despite its listing it is a regular visitor to the Boranup Forest campsites showing little fear as they forage around picnic tables.

Expect to meet a Quenda or two on the Margaret River Discovery Company Overnight South West Adventure  http://margaretriverdiscovery.wordpress.com/overnight-adventure/

Following is a little story about a great example of customer service.

Two years ago I had the good fortune to win a Mountain Bike in a magazine subscription competition (Australian Mountain Bike Magazine).  Not a cheap $200 junker, rather a $5000 Santa Cruz Heckler!

I have owned several high end mountain bikes over the years but nothing compares to the Heckler. The ultimate in single pivot dual suspension bikes.

The Australian distributors http://neezy.com.au/  kindly built the bike to my specifications and size requirements (XL for my 6’5” 100kg body).  A dream machine that made the local lads quite envious and forever put an end to the question “does anyone ever win those subscription competitions?”.

Anyway, a fee weeks ago I somehow managed to put a hairline crack the in frame around the bottom bracket, a highly unusual occurrence in a normally bomb proof piece of aluminium engineering.  I contacted the boys at Santa Cruz Australia and without question they offered a frame replacement.

Now let’s remember this was on a bike I won in the first place.

A few weeks later a brand new, same colour, latest model frame arrived on my doorstep. Plus an XL size t-shirt loudly and proudly proclaiming me a Santa Cruz rider.

A truly remarkable demonstration of customer service and an example I am delighted to share via the internet. No wonder Steve Peat won the World Champs on his Santa Cruz rig with backing like this.

If you are looking at buying a serious mountain bike, backed with a genuine warranty and outstanding customer service I couldn’t recommend Santa Cruz highly enough. If you are looking to buy within Australia contact your local dealer or the Australian distributor, Andrew at Neezy.

Check out the global website for more details http://www.santacruzmtb.com/home/

Having a tonne of fun on the Santa Cruz Heckler.

I updated the tabs at the top of the page (located in the main picture) to provide more information about the various Margaret River tours I offer. Please click through the links above for more detail.

An example of my most popular tour is the Margaret River Dicovery Tour……

Margaret River Discovery Tour

Outdoor Magazine rate this among the ten best holiday experiences in Australia.

Reflect on the tranquillity of the Margaret River, with an option to canoe, before exploring the region’s waterfalls which are shrouded in the mystery of Aboriginal legend. You experience lunch among barrels of ageing wine with Australian Winemaker of the Year, Clive Otto, before taking our luxury 4WD off-road to explore stunning locations you cannot find without a local’s knowledge. We finish our day together viewing the spectacularly rugged Wilyabrup cliffs.

If you only have a few days in Margaret River and are looking for the best overall experience this is the tour for you.   

Canoe Tour on the tranquil Margaret River

• Discover the remote Willyabrup coastal cliffs with a short guided walk along the Cape to Cape track.
• Gourmet lunch at an exclusive private wine estate including a winery tour and opportunity to meet the Winemaker.
• Reflect on Aboriginal heritage and culture with a 4WD trip to the dreamtime site of Meekadarabee Falls.
• Sample regional produce including local cheese & olives.
• Canoe the tranquil Margaret River (optional).
• Wonder at the biodiversity of the forest including wildflower, whale and bird spotting (seasonal).
• Small group of no more than 3 couples.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 A flexible, all inclusive wine tour with a difference, often referred to as “The ultimate Margaret River experience”.

“The Discovery tour is one of the best tours I have ever done, and definitely, the best that you can do in Margaret River.” Canada/tripadvisor.com

“The highest rating tour on TripAdvisor and we weren’t disappointed!” Malaysia/tripadvisor.com

 “So much more than just another wine tour. Great value for dollars spent!” USA/tripadvisor.com

Make your Margaret River Discovery Company tour booking (click here) http://www.margaretriverdiscovery.com.au/contact.php  or email me sean@margaretriverdiscovery.com.au

How’s this for telephone etiquette ……..

I hosted a Private Tour for a couple  of interstate finance brokers  the past few days. One of the wineries they requested we visit is a leading Margaret River boutique producer. I called the cellar door  as a point of courtesy to double check opening times. Introducing myself as Sean from MRDC, I enquired about the closing time(being a public holiday) and tried to book a tasting. The majority of the cellar doors we visit appreciate the heads up we are coming and generally go the extra mile, in recognition the MRDC guests are typically high yield discerning travellers.

I was cut short in my enquiry with the response “What is the Margaret River Discovery Company?”

To which I replied “A touring business”.

The reply, “Not interested. We don’t take tours”.

As succinct and abrupt as that. No further questions, no enquiry as to the number of people. End of conversation.

Perhaps if I hadn’t been cut short I could have been a bit more explanatory, apparently he didn’t know about the personalised touring style of  MRDC and had no prior knowledge of the $5000+ my guests had spent earlier in the day (Fraser Gallop Estate, Cape Mentelle and Edwards will happily verify that). Nonetheless we visited his winery anyway. And he is now several hundred dollars better off than he was this morning.

Outside the scope of my Discovery/Best of the Best tour, I provide all my guests a list of the recommended Five Best of the Best Boutique Producers to visit during their stay in Margaret River. It’s a hard list to compile with so many great producers and ‘Abrupt Estate’ was on it, but I am delighted to refresh the list and finally include Brown Hill Estate. And if you have never visited Brown Hill out on Rosa Brook Road, go. It is one of the most delightful, genuine and delicious tasting experiences in the region.

Five Best of the Best Boutique Producers-

Brown Hill Estate http://www.brownhillestate.com.au/

Cape Grace http://www.capegracewines.com.au/

Graylyn Estate http://www.gralyn.com.au/

Juniper Estate http://www.juniperestate.com.au/

Lenton Brae http://www.lentonbrae.com/

And just a note to any winery, indeed any business, that operates with a similar level of arrogance. It’s 2009. The way you communicate with customers, and us with you, has changed.

Brown Hill Estate. A must visit!

With the ever increasing daylight hours as we enter the spring season, the vines are showing signs of bud-break and the promise of new growth and another cropping cycle. Many vineyards in the Margaret River Region that have early varieties such as Chardonnay are already showing new green shoots, while later developing varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon are just showing some bud movement, at this early stage referred to as “wooly bud”.

There is no set rule as to what constitutes the right temperature or length of daylight to start the process of budbreak. Instead, there are hypothetical requirements of winter chilling that will place the buds in dormancy and this is necessary before the buds will break. After chilling, buds will resume growth once the environmental conditions become favourable. Certainly, there is good reason to understand that healthy and well nourished vines will respond differently compared to vines that may have been stressed in the previous year and that other cultural practices such as the timing of pruning may also affect the timing and success of bud-break. For instance, later pruning may result in later bud-break and this is a strategy that a viticulturist can use to some advantage.

In Margaret River, the start to spring can be quite cold, wet and windy. This isn’t so good for budbreak and the newly emerging shoots can be damaged For this reason; early varieties such as Chardonnay may be pruned as late as possible (pruning can be left as late as wooly bud in some vineyards) to delay the onset of bud-break. The intention by the viticulturist is to target less damaging weather by offsetting budbreak by a week or two later into September.

As you could imagine, it’s not always achievable to hit good weather and this year’s cold and wet start to spring is proving a difficult challenge. In many vineyards, we accept seasonal variation and work with the variation to create the best result through to vintage. We trial many different strategies and continue to seek out solutions to reduce risk and increase the success of budbreak and shoot growth in difficult years. Some of the more successful strategies I have observed include physical wind barriers and site selection. I have seen great success with planting trees as wind breaks and even tall cover crops such as cereal rye to reduce wind velocity, some vineyards use shade cloth material attached to the upwind side of the vine trellis as a more permanent barrier to wind. Site selection is important when planning a vineyard and a elevated rocky site for a vineyard may improve the absorption of heat and provide a longer period of warming temperature in the early vine growth period. The importation of rocks to absorb and hold temperature is a traditional method that has been used with success in some of the older vineyards. There are other effects from site selection that can improve success. Row orientation in line with prevailing wind (lets the wind pass through the vineyard), providing a north facing slope to capture the sun to improve heat load and providing well drained soil to improve soil temperature and root development early in the growing period are all quite practical steps in improving early season bud development and vine growth. Somewhere in this matrix of variables there is another solution to improve yield and quality and the viticulturist continually seeks out any opportunities!

Recently there has been a revelation with the promotion and use of kelp extracts to help condition the new vine growth from the harmful effects of cold and windy weather. We already know that kelp extract would help condition the vines to hot weather but hadn’t fully understood the benefits kelp can bring to offset the effect of cold temperature and the stress on the vines early in the growing period. There are many different kelp products available and we need to better understand them, especially in regard to viticulture and quality wine production. Kelp is possibly the fastest growing of all plants and considering the cold saline water environment in which it grows, has developed the ability to survive and proliferate. The harvesting of kelp from castings on the beach or harvested from the ocean as a renewable resource, lends great hope to the sustainability of supply and environmental consideration in using kelp. It would be most interesting to assess the benefits that some kelp products can bring in promoting root development, shoot growth and bud fruitfulness under difficult growing conditions. If I have learnt anything in the past few years, it has been not to discount or rubbish any natural (organic) concept and to better understand the benefits of organic and biological principals. We may think we have invented something new…but in fact we may simply have reinvented something that was well understood by our forefathers but lost in time.

Contributed by Bruce Pearce

 

Amongst the vines at Cape Mentelle

Every Tuesday: Ransack the Cellar at Must Margaret River
Every Wednesday & Sunday: Market Day at Saracen Estates, 11am – 5pm
Every Friday: Friday Must Do at Must Margaret River
Every Sunday: I Must Do Brunch! Must Margaret River
25 – 28 September 2009: Athol Wark’s Taste Sensations & Wine Pairing at Adinfern, visit www.adinfern.com for session times and to book.
26 September 2009: AFL Grand Final Brunch at Saracen Estates
26 September 2009: AFL Grand Final Luncheon at Clairault
26 September 2009: Margaret River Farmers Market, The Old Hospital, Tunbridge Street
26 September 2009: Shake Up Your Weekend Cocktail Class – Must Margaret River
27 & 29 September 2009: Margaret River Cinema – Arthouse Sunday The Fox & the Child
1 October 2009: Daniel Brennan– Settlers Margaret River (Thursday Night Acoustic Vibe Night)
1 October 2009: Wine Night at Gnarabar featuring Voyager Estate
2 October 2009: Mellifluous (Duns) – Settlers Tavern Reggae / Roots Music / Ska /Sunshine Soul
3 October 2009 – Howard Park International Riesling Tasting & Lunch – call 9756 5200 or visit www.howardparkwines.com.au to book
3 October 2009: Priestessa / MC Mattriks (Melb)  Plus: Jshwa Acoustic – Settlers Margaret River – Lyrical / Electro-Acoustic / French pop / hypnotic beats
4 October 2009: Josh Owen Settlers Tavern -Stripped Back Acoustic Blues on the Verandah 4-7pm
5 October 2009: Acoustic Open Mic Night – hosted by Brett Wilson – Settlers Margaret River (raises money for Margaret River Primary School Band come on down and get a groove on)
5 – 11 October 2009: Riesling & Charcuterie at Must Margaret River
9 October 2009: A Conversation with Stephanie Alexander at Xanadu Wines
10 October 2009: Margaret River Farmers Market, The Old Hospital, Tunbridge Street
10 October 2009: Fresh is Best Cookery School at Cape Lodge
15 October 2009: Cassoulet with Wines of France Dinner at Must Margaret River
15 October 2009: Kisschasy ‘National Seizures’ Tour – Settlers Tavern Margaret River
17 October 2009: Cullen Wines Annual International Chardonnay Tasting
18 October 2009: Yum Cha Brunch at Vasse Felix – 9756 5000
21 October 2009: Margaret River Wine in Perth, Frasers Restaurant
22 October 2009: Simon Johnson’s Voyage of Discovery at Must Margaret Rive
23 October 2009: Oktoberfest Launch Dinner at Saracen Estates & Duckstein Brewery
24 October 2009: Margaret River Farmers Market, The Old Hospital, Tunbridge Street
24 October – 1 November 2009: Oktoberfest! At Saracen Estates & Duckstein Brewery
25 October 2009: Jazz Soiree with Bob Malone in Concert Cape Lodge
30 & 31 October 2009: Busselton Show
31 October 2009: Shake Up Your Weekend Cocktail Class – Must Margaret River
31 October 2009: Don Walker w/ Lucky Oceans, Dave Brewer – Settlers Margaret River

3 November 2009: Melbourne Cup Luncheon, Clairault
3 November 2009: Melbourne Cup Luncheon, Saracen Estates
7 November 2009: Margaret River Farmers Market, The Old Hospital, Tunbridge Street
7 November 2009: Burning of the Vine Cuttings, Leeuwin Estate.
8 November 2009:  Anaconda Adventure Race, Augusta
9 – 15 November 2009: Must Cheese Week at Must Margaret River
11 November 2009: Ian Moss & Band – Settlers Margaret River
14 November 2009: Cowtown Focus Wine & Food Tasting, Pioneer Park, Cowaramup
22 November 2009: Annual Indian Indulgence Event at Cullen Wines
24 November 2009: Winemakers Cabernet Sauvignon Masterclass
25 – 27 November 2009: Margaret River Wine Show
27 – 29 November 2009: Tijuana Cartel at Settlers Margaret River
28 November 2009: Margaret River Farmers Market, The Old Hospital, Tunbridge Street
28 November 2009: Shake Up Your Weekend Cocktail Class – Must Margaret River
4 December 2009: Australian Chamber Orchestra at Vasse Felix – 9756 5000
5 December 2009: WA Ironman Triathlon, Busselton
12 December 2009: Margaret River Farmers Market, The Old Hospital, Tunbridge Street
26 December 2009: Margaret River Farmers Market, The Old Hospital, Tunbridge Street
2 January 2010: Twilight Movies at Cape Mentelle
8 January 2010: Twilight Movies at Cape Mentelle
16 January 2010: Twilight Movies at Cape Mentelle
23 January 2010: Twilight Movies at Cape Mentelle
13 February 2010: Twilight Movies at Cape Mentelle
March – June 2010: CowParade
3 April 2010: Twilight Movies at Cape Mentelle
10 April 2010: Twilight Movies at Cape Mentelle
8 – 12 April 2010: Margaret River Wine Region Festival
14 – 16 May 2010: Margaret River Words Uncorked 2010 – Travel & History

I received a call this morning from a lady planning to walk the Cape to Cape Track next week; she was asking if the Margaret River mouth crossing was open at the moment.

So here in a nutshell are the current track conditions for anyone planning to walk the track in the coming weeks.

• The Margaret River region has received healthy rainfall this winter. All the water tanks, spring, creeks and rivers have abundant water.
• The river crossings, except the Margaret River are quite manageable (though you will need to strip down even on the smaller crossings such as Boodjidup and Wilyabrup). I do not advise crossing the Margaret River unless you are experienced at river crossings. The flow is quite strong and the underlying sand is thigh/hip deep. It is very easy to lose your footing !
• Use the alternate Caves Rd route to bypass the Margaret River.
• There is an abundance of wildflowers for the entire distance of the track. The orchids are out and the stunningly pink Winged Borania are prolific.
• Both our legged and unlegged reptilian freinds are starting to make guest appearances. Gaitors or long pants are recommended.
• Dont attempt the walk without a copy of Jane Scott’s Cape to Cape guidebook.

Please be aware that track condtions change on a daily basis. This information is current for the week beginning 21st September 2009 and we take no responsibility for your Cape to Cape experience!

Overnighting on the Cape to Cape track. Good times!

The Margaret River Discovery Co are offering fully catered/guided day walks on the Cape to Cape track, starting at $150 pp.

 

Just got home from a sensational lunch experience at Must Restaurant Margaret River. They are offering an amazing lunch deal at the moment. $55 for a two course menu, for two people,  plus a glass of wine each.

Yes that’s correct, $55 for two.

We overheard the table next to us commenting what a good deal it was at $55 per person. I wished we had stayed long enough to see their surprise when their bill arrived.

And if the price isn’t amazing enough, just wait until you try the food. Faultless; every mouthful better than the last. As was the service.

A thoroughly enjoyable afternoon out in the village.

Congratulations team Must.

Must Restaurant Margaret River

A few of their upcoming events -

Riesling and Charcuterie: what a match!
Bar
Monday 5 – Sunday 11 October
From its ancestral home of Germany to its more modern day abodes of Australia and New Zealand, Riesling is hot property in anyone’s language. Get multi-lingual this week and enjoy the Rieslings of Alsace, Germany Austria New Zealand and Australia. And what better to complement, than Must’s signature dish; charcuterie, served at the bar all week.

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Cassoulet w/ Wines of France Dinner
Private Dining Room
Thursday 15 October, 7pm till 10.30pm
This famous French dish of haricot beans, duck, Toulouse sausage and pork, which simmers for days before it’s brought to the table, deserves to be matched with sublime wines of great pedigree. Think Côte-Rôtie; the original shiraz-viognier from the Rhône Valley; pinot noir from Burgundy; maybe a grenache blend from the sunny south of France, or even a dazzling Alsace pinot blanc. The end result is an inspiring dinner to linger over with friends. $150.

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Simon Johnson’s Voyage of Discovery
Private Dining Room
Thursday 22 October, 6.30pm till 8.30pm
Behind all successful chefs are some very good providore’s and Australia’s most sought after discoverer of the worlds super premium foods is Simon Johnson. Scouring the globe his culinary search stretches to all manner of delicacies created by some of the most highly regarded suppliers in the world. Join Simon in his quest at Must Margaret River for a food and wine tasting presided over with infectious passion, enthusiasm and of course inspirational tastes.  $45.

It is commonly believed that the Xanthorrhoea grow at a rate of about  2½ cm per century. Xanthorrhoea do grow very slowly, but this is a gross underestimate: after an initial establishment phase the average rate of growth varies for each species but can be as high as about 2½ cm per year. Thus a five-metre tall member of one of the fastest growing Xanthorrhoea would be about 200 years old. A slow one may have a lifespan of 600 years.

A stand of Grass Trees approximately 200-300 years old.

The best known common name for the Xanthorrhoea is blackboy. This name refers to the purported similarity in appearance of the trunked species to an Aboriginal boy holding an upright spear. Most people now consider this name to be offensive, or at least belonging to the past, preferring instead grasstree, or here in the South West the Noongar name balga for X. Preissei.

There are a lot of wine shows out there, with lots and lots of wine, lots of categories and lots of medals. I have discovered it’s a very congratulatory industry that takes any excuse to indulge victory bubbles and a celebratory lunch.

 But every so often it’s really worth taking notice of the win.

The Cape Mentelle Shiraz 2007 recently bagged more wins at the Perth Royal Wine Show than a cheetah at a rabbit race. A truly remarkable result winning five trophies including the coveted Best Dry Red category- 

Degustation lunch on the Best of the Best Wine Tour at Cape Mentelle

• Best West Australian Wine
• Best Dry Red Table Wine
• Best West Australian Red Table Wine
• Best 2007 Dry Red Table Wine
• Best Shiraz

I caught up with winemaker Simon Burnell at a local cafe on the weekend, soaking up a bubbles neutralising coffee; he commented in understated style, “yeah pretty happy”.

Considering the strength and depth of red wine in Western Australia particularly given the excellent recent vintages in 2007 and 2008 I reckon Simon and the Cape Mentelle team should be pretty happy indeed.

In keeping with the special access and exclusive experiences offered by The Margaret River Discovery Co. I am delighted to say the only place you can currently taste and buy this wine is from the Margaret River cellar door ……. and guess where our behind the scenes experience on the Best of the Best Wine Tour occurs?

 

Local Margaret River surfer Chris Ross got himself into a spot last week at a notorious Western Australian surf spot. Falling off the board is bad enough, but have a look at the mountain of water that has jacked up behind the tube. Horribly wrong!

Photograph courtesy http://www.jamiescottimages.com/

 

Margaret River monster wave!

September/October/November are the peak months for the southward migration of humpback whales along the Margaret River coastline. It’s also the time when you’re most likely to see this year’s baby humpbacks, born several weeks earlier in their tropical calving grounds off the Kimberley coast.

Each year humpbacks migrate from the Southern Ocean to their northern breeding grounds. It’s a huge trip – about 12,000 kilometres. During this migration they don’t feed at all yet they have enough energy to calve and mate. Most other animals when they stop eating usually hibernate!

Around September, the baby whales can be seen accompanying their mothers on the return journey to the colder feeding grounds of the Southern Ocean.

The whales travel in small groups separated by distances of 10 -100 kilometres. It takes about 90 days for them all to pass one point. So if you’re in good whale watching territory, you have a window of about 3 months to catch the whales. The young males pass first, followed by older males and females with calves.

At birth a humpback calf is as big as a small car! Yet the relationship between mother and calf is very close and protective. It drinks milk from nipples hidden in its mother’s belly – over 200 litres a day. When the calves are born their lungs are not inflated and the first thing a mother must do is nudge its infant to the surface to gasp its first breath of air. Young calves need to surface frequently for fresh air but by adulthood they’ll be able to stay down as long as 45 minutes.

Humpback Whale off the Kimberley coast of Western Australia. Image by Christian Fletcher.

 

Females calve about every 2-3 years, mostly in places around latitude 20 degrees. (Some non-breeding females don’t bother to make the full migration to warmer water every year). On the return journey mothers and calves travel slowly, often resting for a while in protected areas such as Geographe Bay and Margaret River / Augusta, one of Australia’s best known whale watching spots. The calves need to grow quickly and develop a thick layer of blubber for protection in the cold Antarctic water.

Following is a great little story about Perception.

It resonates with me because I witness how people perceive the environment they find themselves while on holiday. For some it is ticking boxes, for others it’s a request to stop the car and get out and closely examines the tiniest wildflower.

• Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007.

The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approx. 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.

4 minutes later:
 The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.
 
 6 minutes:
 A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again. 
 
10 minutes:
A 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly.
 
45 minutes:
 The musician played continuously.  Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace.  The man collected a total of $32.

1 hour:
He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.
   
No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.

Joshua Bell playing at Washington DC Metro station

This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people’s priorities. The questions raised: in a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?
 
One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this:  If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made…. How many other things are we missing?

Read the Washington Post article if you would like to read in more detail-  http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/04/AR2007040401721.html

2007 Fraser Gallop Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

News hot of the press ……. The Fraser Gallop 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon has just won the prestigious Decanter World Wine Awards for the best Bordeaux red blend.

London’s Royal Opera House was packed with stars of the wine world last night who gathered to discover the winners of the prestigious Decanter World Wine Award International Trophies.

In a competition of over 10,000 wines from around the world, the biggest coup of the evening was Fraser Gallop Estate from Western Australia’s Margaret River claiming the benchmark Bordeaux Blend Over £10 International Trophy.

Beating hundreds of the world’s most expensive wines to receive the engraved Riedel Trophy was an exceptional achievement for a winery that only planted its first vineyard in 1999.

Fraser Gallop Estate’s 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon was blind tasted by a panel of international judges (including Australia’s Huon Hooke) against trophy-winning Cabernet Sauvignon from France, South Africa, Chile and New Zealand to be declared the best Bordeaux Blend Over £10 ($A20).

Less than 1% of the 10,000 wines entered won a Trophy and only 2% a gold medal making The Decanter World Wine Awards a tough competition.

Winemaker Clive Otto flew into London yesterday to accept the award. Not sure whether he was wearing clothes as his luggage disappeared en route!

The 07 Cabernet from all over the Margaret River region is fantastic but the Fraser Gallop just had something special about it right from the start. A truly sensational wine.

The Margaret River Discovery Tour has exclusive access to Fraser Gallop Estate where we sample the award winning wine with a gourmet lunch amongst ageing barrels of this year’s vintage (which just quietly, looks even better).

Congratulations to Nigel, Clive, Kate, Paul and all the team at Fraser Gallop!

You’ve lunched at Voyager, had tastings at all the wineries and think you’ve seen all there is to Margaret River… think again. Hidden amidst the tall timbers are a myriad of waterfalls and natural treasures that are awaiting your visit.

Stepping out of the car at Redgate Beach we are buffeted by gale force winds. The rain pounds onto our bodies and within seconds, anything not wrapped in Gortex is drenched through to our skin.
We set off across the wet beach sand in rain that falls relentlessly from the angry sky above, while huge waves break in a crash of white spray just metres away.

People thought we were crazy when, over a coffee that morning, a group of us decided to set out on a hike from Redgate to Contos. The area is the most exposed section of the world renown Cape-to-Cape track and, while offering stunning views of the rugged coast between Margaret River and Augusta, offers no protection from the rolling winter storms.

Yet by the time we reached the other end of the beach and begin to weave our way up the limestone track to the top of the cliffs, the rain has stopped. We are left with just the wind to contend with as we enjoy the rugged beauty of the shoreline.

When we finally arrive at our destination – a hidden track just south of Contos – the grey clouds are lined with brilliant silver. Our pick-up vehicle is waiting and we make our way home, exhausted but exhilarated.
At work the next day a colleague asks about my weekend and I replied that I had enjoyed a few days in Margaret River. “Margaret River? That place is overrated,” he replies.

I was tempted to ask if he had ever seen the Margaret River rapids in full flow, watched the whales play from atop the ancient Wilyabrup cliffs, knew the dreamtime stories of the Meekadarabee falls or had ever stumbled upon Ellen Bussell’s colonial-aged vegie patch?

But after a weekend enjoying Margaret River, I was far too relaxed. I just smiled.

The Wilyabrup Cliffs section of the Cape to Cape Track

First, there was the surf and the big waves that now draw in some of the biggest names in the business. Later, clever marketing of the region’s wonderful wines made Margaret River a popular destination for wine tourism.

Margaret River region has always had a natural beauty and recently, more and more tourists are wanting to step away from the crowds for a better understanding of what the region has to offer as the locals see it.

The figures paint the picture of the changing face of the region’s tourism. A recent study by the Sustainable Tourism Co-operative Research Centre found 44 per cent of visitors to Australia’s wine regions come to see the natural beauty and scenery while only 30 per cent visit for the wine itself.

Closer to home, Tourism WA has confirmed the last four years has seen a 54 per cent increase in visitors wanting to experience national or State parks and a 30 per cent increase in visitors seeking bushwalking experiences, while shopping as a leisure activity remained static.

The buzz word in the tourism industry is ‘experiential’ travel and Francine Burton, Chief Executive Officer of the Augusta Margaret River Tourism Association, confirmed the trend was on the rise in the region.
“Extensive research and experience in the Margaret River region has found visitors are seeking a variety of unique, natural experiences in an unspoilt, pristine environment, and value highly those which combine a connection to the environment and the culture of the region,” Francine said. “Visitors want exposure to this bio-diversity and memorable characters and behind the scenes opportunities which leave indelible memories of a special holiday experience.” “The discerning visitor is also increasingly requesting experiences which connect them with people and places they couldn’t find on their own.”

Savvy tourism operators are already tapping into the changing market, offering itineraries to sites day-trippers and international guests are unlikely to find on their own. “To cater for the demand, we are seeing an increase in the number of operators offering high end private touring in the region, which meets the expectations of the visitor for a nostalgic, non-commercialised, uncrowded and laidback discovery of Margaret River,” Francine said.

The Margaret River Discovery Company is leading the way, combining an off-roading, back-to-nature experience in a wine tour with a difference. The private touring experience has thrilled international and domestic guests, evidenced by its #1 ranking on TripAdvisor, thanks to its highly personalised approach and the enthusiasm of proprietor Sean Blocksidge.

Formerly the operations manager at Voyager Estate, Sean now delights in sharing his passion of the region with visitors who seek local knowledge and privileged access, rather than filling their days ‘ticking the boxes’ of the big name sites. “We get behind the tourist façade and discover people and places you can’t find on your own,” Sean explained. “It is a day of highlights. A snapshot of the best places, best people and special access I’ve discovered after years of living here”

“The highlights of a Margaret River Discovery Company tour include a unique lunch experience among barrels of ageing wine, the opportunity to meet former Australian Winemaker of the Year, Clive Otto, and privileged access to the waterfalls and significant – but rarely visited – sites of the Leeuwin Naturaliste Ridge.”

A demographic snapshot of the experiential traveller shows a well-travelled person at the high end of the tourism market, who is looking for a tourism experience that will set apart their latest journey from previous travels. As Sean’s clientele has proven however, their country of origin is less important, with domestic travellers equally keen to expand their horizons as international guests.

“It has been remarkable how many locals I’ve taken on tour and shown them highlights they didn’t even know exist, like the Wilyabrup Cliffs. The cliffs are possibly the most spectacular scenery along the Cape. Many locals are thrilled to canoe the Margaret River for the first time.”

“The other day my guests ate morning tea from a vantage point 20 metres above the rugged coastline, watching the waves crash against the rocks below, while a humpback whale burst through the swell. The two Brits, aged in their 60s, had entertained me with tales of their extensive travels, but admitted their visit to Margaret River would have standout memories.”
“Ultimately, everyone says the same thing… they didn’t expect Margaret River to be this good, for there to be so much to do or for it to be so peaceful.”

For more information about the Margaret River Discovery Co contact Sean Blocksidge on 0439 910 064 or visit www.margaretriverdiscovery.com.au

source: Cravings Magazine Margaret River Volume 2

Margaret River Spider Orchid

Western Australia has one of the most spectacular wildflower displays in the world.

The rugged landscape comes alive with a blaze of brilliant colours and lush scents from July to November.

A whopping 12,000 plant species carpet the state with their vivid beauty – and varieties are still being discovered!

In Western Australia, Australia’s most familiar wildflowers take a dazzling twist from the norm.

Pink boronias, red and green kangaroo paw, magenta paperbark blossom and orange-flowering banksias are top of the list for wildflower spotters.

Join us on either a Discovery Tour or Best of the Best Wine Tour and we’ll find stunning examples of WA’s most spectacular wildflowers. Your guide, Sean Blocksidge, knows several secret ‘hotspot’ locations accessable only by 4WD to showcase the ever changing floral displays.

Ok a weird thing happens whenever I post a blog containing the word ‘whale’. Blog hit rates go through the roof.

The latest version of WordPress statistics confirms this.

Way more hits than any other term tagged amongst my occasional blogs. It occurs to me there are a lot of people out there interested in whales. More than I ever would have imagined. For comparison sake, the word ‘wine’ appears far more often in my blogs. Yet the hit rates on ‘whales’ is about 100 fold (maybe I should have started a whale touring business, not a wine touring business?).

I find this odd because there are a heck of a lot of wine appreciators out there. Just have a look at the number of wine Twitter’s! Apparently everyone’s a wine journo these days. Not so many whale tweets, bleeps or sonar pings by comparison.

So here goes …… lets blog two uselessly interesting facts. One about wine and one about whales. And I’ll tag the blog with a few well known varieties of whales ( Humpback, Southern Right, Sperm ) and wines ( Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Noir ).

Whale fact #1
The voice of the blue whale is one of the deepest voices on the planet. It is so powerful that it can travel 100 kilometres underwater.

Wine fact #2
Thomas Jefferson helped stock the wine cellars of the first five U.S. presidents and was very partial to fine Bordeaux and Madeira.

Let’s see what happens. The result, other than producing utterly useless information, unlikely to be used in a Freakonomics reference, will likely only be interesting to me. I’ll update the result occasionally in this blog piece.

And anyone reading this who has come to me via my website www.margaretriverdiscovery.com.au and considering booking a tour with me, my message to you is don’t panic! I’m not a statistic counting nutbrain intent on boring with facts on figures while on tour. This is actually just a frivolous way of directing unintended traffic to my website and creating a stronger web presence with Google. Lateral web marketing.

And finally, let’s just hope the reference to ‘Sperm’ whales is not the highest ranking hit!