The Swan Valley has long lived in the shadow of Margaret River, as the less attractive, dare we say it, the ugly stepsister of Western Australia’s wine regions. For many Perth people, the Swan Valley enters their radar in spring because of Spring in the Valley. If that’s all you know of the Swan Valley, then you are missing one of Perth’s best kept secrets. So, let us be the first to say it, the Swan Valley is no longer an ugly duckling, and we at OUTinPerth are tipping it to become one of the hottest daytrip destinations in WA. Here we give you a guide the best places for drinking fine wines and microbrews, dining on dishes by some of Perth’s best chefs, and viewing some of the best and most diverse art galleries this side of the Nullarbor.

TO GET STARTED: Any trip to the Swan Valley should start at the Swan Valley Visitor Centre on the corner of Meadow and Swan St in Guildford. Their comprehensive map guide to the region has contact details and hours for most places in the valley.

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DRINKING

Any guide to the Swan Valley has to start with what the region does best – drink. Swan Valley wines were long-known as a one-trick pony, that trick being fortifieds. However, the region has diversified its offerings, and, led by the five biggest wineries – Houghton’s, Sandalford, Lamont’s, Jane Brook and Oakover, become increasingly high profile. These larger wineries make a great introduction to the region, as they allow for tasting a great breadth of wines, with Sandalford and Oakover OiP’s picks of the bunch for variety and Jane Brook recommended for its bubblies. Jane Brook’s sparkling wine with 23 carat gold flakes ($65) also makes a great gift.

While the big cellar doors warrant a visit, it is the small, family-run wineries that are the toast of the region and a chance for wine enthusiasts to actually meet those who have dedicated their life to crafting fine wines.

Edgecombe Brothers is a rustic and gregarious cellar and café that has fresh produce from the estate and wines available for tasting. Current winemaker Alfred Edgecombe’s father and uncle (Dan and Frank Edgecombe) founded the winery in 1925. Alfred’s extensive knowledge of the region is something he draws upon in producing wines that can be consumed straight out of the bottle rather than requiring cellaring to age. The café at the cellar door is probably the biggest draw as it allows gourmands to pair the estate’s famed Asparagus Lovers Plate ($14.50) with its wines.

The crown jewels of the Swan Valley, however, are undoubtedly John Kosovich and Talijancich Wines. These two wineries are both third-generation Croatian-Australian wineries and the secret has definitely been kept in the family. Unlike Edgecombe, both embrace wines that age well, and anyone building a wine cellar at home will want to take some home to save.

Established in 1922, John Kosovich Wines started with fortified wines, but was one of the first regional wineries to diversify into dry table wines. Current winemaker Andrew Kosovich stays true to his family’s principles of simplicity in process and winemaking that emphasizes the flavour of the fruit, not the oak. Kosovich wines are consistent in quality and avoid being caught up in the latest market fads, such as blends or high alcohol wines. The ‘cellar door’ was our favourite in the valley, as it was literally a cellar. The smell as you go down the stairs and through the oak barrels holding next season’s offerings is reason to visit.

Talijancich, started ten years after Kosovich, has a similar family tradition in their wines, but unlike, Kosovich, Talijancich has made its name in fortifieds and produces the region’s best dessert wines. They round out their wine list with red varietals lesser known in Australia, such as tempranillo, and wines are often held back at least one to two years before being released to ensure they reach maturity.

The Swan Valley also boasts some great microbreweries. The two German-style breweries, Elmar’s in the Valley and Ducksteins, pour it by the stein come Oktoberfest, with Ducksteins offering a straight-out-of a-Bavarian-beer-hall ambience and Elmar’s crafting slightly better brews.

The best beers in the area, and perhaps Western Australia, can be found at Feral Brewery. Brewer Brendan Varis, who was a judge at this year’s World Beer Cup, says he named the brewery after a few bottles of red wine (ironic) because he wanted to create beers that were not ‘domestics’ catering for the least common denominator. As a result, Feral beers demonstrate the strong characteristics and flavors that beer afficianados will appreciate and recognize as the real deal. As an added bonus, Feral has one of the best chefs in the Swan, ensuring food of the same calibre.

For something a bit harder, Great Northern Distillery offers $3 samples of its very smooth and mild rum with a mixer of your choice.

Those who want to drink without worrying about a skipper should hop on one of the area tours. The Pink Bus Tour (0422 844 117) is a gay-friendly way to see the wineries, while both Beer Nuts and The Brewers Dray come highly recommended as a way to experience the breweries.

DINING

Nowhere is the rapid change in the Swan Valley more evident than in its emerging high-end restaurants, which display some amazing talent in the kitchen and an appreciation for the finer points of service at its tables.

Taste of the Valley winner in 2008, Stewart’s sits on the immaculately groomed Brookleigh Estate, whose reputation in Australia’s equestrian circuit has seen members of the 2008 Olympic squad make use of its facilities. Brookleigh’s equestrian facilities, however, will not be the sole centerpiece of the estate’s offerings, if head chef Dean Williams and managing director Neil Reveler have anything to say about it. Neil has used his skills for team-building and interior decorating to create an ambience rare in ‘the always in short supply’ hospitality industry. The dining room has a classic ‘rustic Italian’ theme, and the food which focuses on fresh and local (much of which is grown on the estate) ingredients is a great match. That the restaurant is not linked to a winery further works to its advantage as it has put together a comprehensive wine list that draws on the best of the entire region. In addition to Spring in the Valley, Stewart’s hosts 2,000+ people at its horse trials in October and puts on fancy dress Melbourne Cup and New Year’s Eve parties as well as regular multi-course winemaker’s dinners ($80-125).

No less impressive is Dear Friends. Established in 1972, Dear Friends has historically been one of the most awarded restaurants in WA. Now under new ownership – the delightful husband and wife team of Kelli and Kiren Mainwaring – the restaurant is on a fast track to return to its former glory. As the chef, Kiren has developed a menu with an exotic flair, offering such dishes as game bird with Manjimup truffle (well-paired with a Talijancich tempranillo, according to Kelli). Both Kelli and Kiren are wine enthusiasts, the approachable, helpful kind, not the snobby, stuffy kind, and have done extensive tasting to personally select the wine list. In addition, to revamping the menu, the couple has given the restaurant a makeover, opening it up so that it exudes an old world warmth that is the perfect way to end a day in the Swan.

Honourable mention for Swan Valley dining goes to Chester’s, whose head chef, the young and vibrant James Ward, will only continue to improve with experience. Unlike Stewart’s and Dear Friends, Chester’s is attached to a family-run winery, and while its wine list lacks versatility, customers are able to sample the wines at the cellar door to select exactly what they would like to have with their meal.

ARTS

If you need a talking point to go with wining and dining, then a visit to the Swan’s art galleries is in order. The breadth of mediums at these galleries takes in everything from painting to large-scale sculpture and resident artists are very accessible, making the galleries in the valley among Western Australia’s best, if least appreciated art spaces.

Gomboc Gallery and Sculpture Garden was one of the first galleries to open in the Swan back in 1982. According to gallery owner and sculptor Ron Gomboc, the gallery ‘snowballed from my own enthusiasm and interest in sculpture’. Today, Gomboc is well-known for featuring new artists and has given many local artists their first break in the gallery’s rotating monthly exhibitions and sculpture surveys. Currently showing is the Spanish surrealist influenced works of Brian Richard Taylor until September 7, with indigenous artist Sandra Hill on display for the rest of the month. While the gallery gives local artists an independent space to make their name, it is the sculptures of Ron Gomboc (which have been commissioned by the likes of the Sultan of Oman and the Beijing Olympics) that are the gallery’s mainstay. The sprawling grounds around the gallery perfectly showcase the works of this Australian legend of sculpture and visitors will appreciate the astonishing transformation Gomboc’s work has undergone from realistic sculptures to abstract spiritual pieces, which allude to their realistic predecessors while also transcending them.

For those interested in learning more about Australia’s indigenous culture, there’s Maalinup Aboriginal Gallery which has a range of indigenous works, mostly local, from didgeridoos and boomerangs to paintings and pottery. The gallery is run by two indigenous entrepreneur-artists, Dale and Lyall Tilbrook, who bring a wealth of knowledge on indigenous works and passion for sharing it to the gallery. In addition, Dale is a bush food connoisseur and sells a range of native bush food (she recommends the roasted wattleseed as a particularly nice addition for anzac bikkies). For those, less keen in learning to cook bush food and more keen on trying it, Maalinup, in partnership with River Retreat, offer Didge After Dark, an evening of bush food and indigenous performances, complete with bush food tasting platters (yum croc filo pastry!), riverbank dance and didgeridoo performance ($70 per person).

Another of the Swan Valley’s eclectic art spaces, Taylors Art and Coffee House is run by the equally eclectic Taylor family. Brother and sister team Michael and Caroline manage the café whose cup of coffee is the best in the valley. Their mother Jude Taylor is a renowned printmaker and much of her work is on display in the gallery adjoining the café. Through the café’s sprawling bohemian garden is a theatre space, the brainchild of John Taylor, Michael and Caroline’s father. Add to that, yoga classes in a private studio and psychic readings (though typically those are only on Wednesdays) and it’s clear the Taylor family and their ‘home’, much to the delight of visitors, are anything but ordinary.

‘If you put A together with B, you get 3D’ at Illusionary Art, according to its owner, German-Australian artist Thomas Maurer. Maurer has spent the last ten years developing his unique process of metal engraving that uses a 2mm angle grinder on flat sheet aluminium to create 3D illusion pieces, both abstracts and landscapes. Maurer also displays pieces from a Balinese artist friend that splashes a bit of colour around the gallery’s black walls and are a nice complement to Maurer’s silver aluminium pieces.

Last, but certainly not least, in OiP’s round up of the Swan art galleries is Antonio Battistessa, an artist many local’s refer to as a ‘real character’. Battistessa Studio is a large warehouse gallery and watching the artist work is rumoured to be as interesting as the final pieces.

ACCOMMODATION

While the Swan Valley is just a short drive from Perth, those who want to relax, unwind and see it all would do well to stay overnight. Unfortunately, the accommodations in the area have not kept pace with the restaurants, wineries and art galleries in their development and options can be somewhat limited. By far the largest property is The Vines, a self-contained resort complex on the northern end of the valley that has restaurants, a golf course and your standard assortment of resort accommodations. Meanwhile, on the southern end of the valley, the historic Rose and Crown Hotel is WA’s oldest hotel, book ahead as it can fill up in advance, particularly in peak season. Centrally located and the best find for accommodation, however, is Grandis Cottages. Located off the main region’s main roads, the peaceful small property is well-maintained by the resident gardener and has two self-contained units and all the amenities guests will likely need, including a barbeque patio overlooking a pond. For those wanting to get away with a group, the rooms can sleep five in beds and cots can be added for others.

SPRING IN THE VALLEY

Spring in the Valley (October 11-12) may be the Swan Valley’s busiest weekend of the year, but whether or not it is the best time to visit the Swan Valley depends on what you hope to get from your time there. If you are loking for a raucous day, a blur of half-remembered wines and large, rather drunk, crowds, then yes, Spring in the Valley (SITV) is definitely for you. While both Swan Valley Tourism and a number of area wineries are seeking to change the tone of the event, it will likely be a few years before punters realize SITV is about wine appreciation not wine inebriation. So, this year, if you decide to head to the Swan for SITV, expect wineries to scale back ‘parties’ and cater to the high-end – which means a day getting sh*tfaced at Spring in the Valley is likely to cost more this year. The exception to this is the festivities at the breweries, many of which are booking DJs, pouring schooners and embracing the stumbling and slurring tradition of Spring in the Valley. Of course, if you want to explore the valley at your own pace and have more personalized service, you could always skip Spring in the Valley and plan a trip for one of the other 50 or so weekends a year.

With so many reasons to visit, the Swan Valley is not likely to remain a secret for long. Travelers are increasingly putting the Swan Valley on their itineraries. Tour buses are more frequently making rounds of the area. And so, for those wanting to experience the region without jostling crowds, the old adage could prove all too true, there is no time like the present.