Swan Valley day trip from Perth: wineries and food stops

A Swan Valley day trip is the easiest way to taste Western Australia's oldest wine growing region without leaving Perth for the night. The valley is only 25 minutes from the centre of the city. You can taste wine, eat well and still be home for dinner.

This guide covers the short history, how to shape the day, where to eat, and how to get around safely.

A short history of the valley

The Swan Valley is the oldest wine growing region in the state. Its warm, dry summers suit Verdelho, Shiraz and Cabernet, and they also suit fortified wines, the sweet "stickies". Liqueur Verdelho and Liqueur Shiraz are rarely made outside the valley.

Its gateway is the town of Guildford. It was founded in 1829 as a market town and an inland river port for flat-bottomed boats that served the farming districts. Today it is the only town in Perth classified by the National Trust.

Many wineries are family owned and run. The people who make the wine are often the ones serving you at the cellar door.

Sources for this section: Swan Valley Visitor Centre, About Swan Valley, About Guildford and Wine pages (2008).

How to shape the day

Keep the plan simple. Pick four or five stops at most. A relaxed day beats a rushed one.

• Start at the Swan Valley Visitor Centre in Guildford. It is in the old Courthouse on the corner of Meadow and Swan Streets, and it is open seven days a week from 9am to 4pm.
• Pick up the free Swan Valley guide and maps. They include a Food and Wine Trail.
• Visit two or three cellar doors before lunch. Choose one old family winery and one large name.
• Stop for a proper lunch. Eating well slows the effect of the wine.
• Finish with one more tasting or a walk, then head back to the city before dark.

Not every business in the valley opens every day. Ask the visitor centre or ring ahead for your favourites, and check Sunday and public holiday hours before you set out.

Sources for this section: Swan Valley Visitor Centre, About Swan Valley, About Guildford and Wine pages (2008).

Cellar doors worth a stop

You do not need a long list. These names show the range of what the valley offers.

• John Kosovich Wines and Talijancich Wines: two of the oldest cellar doors in the state.
• Waters Edge: the cellar door that was formerly Olive Farm, also among the oldest.
• Sandalford: it runs the valley's only blend-your-own-wine tour, so you can be a winemaker for the day. Book ahead.
• Houghton: home to a famous white burgundy, with leafy grounds that suit a picnic.
• Garbin Estate and Pinelli Wines: smaller local wineries that join the valley's wine carton scheme.

Many valley winemakers sell only direct to customers. That means over half of the wines made here are on sale only at the cellar door. It is a good reason to buy a few bottles you cannot find at the shop.

At each tasting, ask the staff what is unusual about the place. Small cellar doors often have a story, and the people behind the counter are glad to tell it.

If you want to send wine home, the valley has a wine carton service. You can fill one carton with up to twelve bottles from taking part wineries and post it to any address in Australia.

Sources for this section: Swan Valley Visitor Centre, Wine page (2008).

Food stops in Guildford and the valley

Guildford is a good place to eat before or after your tastings. It has cafes in refurbished historic buildings and a few splendid old pubs. The Rose and Crown Hotel dates from 1841.

Alfred's Kitchen is the famous hamburger stop, open since 1946. The visitor centre says the burgers are best eaten on site, by the warmth of the open wood fire.

The valley is also home to five small breweries, and two distilleries have opened there. A beer or a coffee can be a good break between wine tastings.

Guildford is easy to walk. The original 1829 centre has Moulton's Cottage (1842), Padbury's Colonial Store (about 1869) and St Matthew's Church (1873). Heritage walk trails of 20 to 60 minutes start at the old Courthouse. A short stroll between lunch and your next tasting breaks up the afternoon.

Sources for this section: Swan Valley Visitor Centre, About Guildford and About Swan Valley pages (2008); Alfred's Kitchen, home page.

Getting around safely

The biggest decision for any Swan Valley day trip is how you will get home. Plan it before you taste anything.

• Name a driver. One person stays sober and drives. The Office of Road Safety calls this person a skipper. Swap the role on your next trip.
• Know the limit. The legal blood alcohol limit for a full licence in Western Australia is 0.05. At that level the risk of a crash doubles.
• Have a backup. The Office of Road Safety suggests you ask someone to collect you, call a cab, take public transport or stay overnight.
• Take a tour. The visitor centre suggests leaving the car at home. Guided tours and wine cruises run through the valley.
• Taste small and drink water. Take small pours, and say yes to a glass of water at every stop.

The office also says it is best not to drink anything before driving. It is hard to judge your own blood alcohol level, because food, body size and the time you drink all change it. If you are unsure, do not drive. This is general information, not medical advice, and it does not replace the advice of the police or a doctor.

Sources for this section: Office of Road Safety, Western Australia, Drink Driving page; Swan Valley Visitor Centre, About Swan Valley page (2008).

Before you go

Take a hat, sunscreen and comfortable shoes. Summer days in Perth can be hot, and the valley has little shade between stops. In winter, bring a jacket, and enjoy a fortified wine by a log fire at a cellar door.

Check a map before you leave. Leave room in the car for a few bottles, and keep them out of direct sun on the drive home.

Book a table for lunch, especially on weekends. Popular restaurants fill up, and a booking means one less thing to worry about.

Sources

1. Swan Valley Visitor Centre, About Swan Valley: swanvalley.com.au (archived July 2008)
2. Swan Valley Visitor Centre, About Guildford: swanvalley.com.au (archived July 2008)
3. Swan Valley Visitor Centre, Wine: swanvalley.com.au (archived August 2008)
4. Alfred's Kitchen, home page: alfredskitchen.com.au
5. Office of Road Safety, Western Australia, Drink Driving: ors.wa.gov.au (archived July 2008)