About Swan Valley
The Swan Valley is about 16 kilometres east of Perth. It is Western Australia's oldest wine-growing region and many of its vineyards are still owned by descendants of the European emigrants who settled here in two waves, in the 1920's and after World War Two.
The roads are well sign posted to enable a leisurely drive from winery to winery. If you would prefer someone else to do the driving there are frequent buses and trains to Guildford and from there you can link up with a tour.
Diversity lies in the heart of the region's charm, and while international players like Sandalford and Houghton - home to Australia's most famous white burgundy - have established large, impressive tasting facilities, you can still drop into many smaller wineries for a chat with the owners and a bottle of something unique to the valley. Over half of all the wines produced in the Swan Valley region are available only at cellar door.
Classic varieties grown here include chenin blanc, verdelho, shiraz and chardonnay - all of which thrive in the region's hot, dry climate - along with less well-known varieties like viognier and zinfandel. The region is also well-known for its world-class fortified wines and offers one of Australia's biggest range of luscious 'stickies', made from lesser known grape varieties including dolcetto, pedro, ximenes and navera. The Swan Valley in also one of very few places in the world where you'll find liquered verdelho - a honeyed, rich drop worth seeking out.
Many of the wineries have restaurants attached providing the perfect gustatory excuse to stay the day!
On top of the wineries, the region offers wildlife and historical parks, bushland, arts and crafts, and breathtakingly beautiful scenery in the wild flower season.