We couldn’t think of a better way to spend a sunny Saturday than sipping on locally produced wine in the stunning scenery of the Bunbury Geographe Region, being chauffeured around in a classic 1965 Mustang named Sally.
Earlier this month we were treated to the Taste, Tour & Tapas Adventure with Mr Mustang Hire.
Our hosts for the day, Mr Mustang Hire owners Vince and Karen, were a wealth of knowledge when it comes to the Bunbury Geographe Region and are passionate about showcasing the producers there.
The Taste, Tour & Tapas Adventure took us to four locations, each stop showcasing some of the fantastic produce of the Bunbury Geographe Region- from wine and beer, to olive oil and tapas treats.
First stop on the tour was at Barrecas Wines in Donnybrook.
We were greeted with a beautiful platter of fresh bread, fruit and their on-site pressed extra virgin olive oil, which was like no other olive oil we had tasted.
Barrecas is a family owned and run winery, that is produced fully onsite-including labelling and the growing and pressing of their Extra virgin olive oil.
Bareccas Cellar Door is teeming with charm. Their reading/sitting corner has the cutest bookcase filled with unique and classic looking books and overlooks their green and lush outdoor area.
We loved all their wines, but the Shiraz Malbec and Zinfandel were our favourites and we took home a few bottles to share the love with family. We were also treated to a preview taste of their yet to be bottled batch of port, which was some of the best port we have tasted. We plan to go back when it is bottled to stock up!
You can also keep upto date with happenings at Barecas Wines on their Facebook page!
The blue beauty, aka ‘Sally the Mustang’ certainly looked the part in the surrounds of any of the wineries we visited on the tour. Sally has recently been used in magazine photoshoots and is a popular choice for wedding transport also.
Our second stop for the day was to the picturesque Barton Jones Wines, just outside the Donnybrook town centre.
Barton Jones certainly had the most unique cellar door we visited on the tour. The unique structure was built with eco principals in mind and has a large north-facing roof space to capture solar energy from the sun. The curved shape of the building also focuses the view out across their vast vineyard below.
Their green lawn area adjoining the cellar door is the perfect spot to sip some of their wine offerings in the sunshine. Barton Jones Wines often host events at their vineyard, utilising this lawn area- you can keep up to date with their happenings on their Facebook page and website.
Our favourite picks from Barton Jones Wines was their Bigwig Shiraz and beautiful peachy Rose.
We felt like absolute VIP’s throughout the tour with Mr Mustang Hire and Vince and Karen were the most warm and welcoming hosts.
Mr Mustang Hire has two hubs in the South West- Bridgetown, which is where we departed from, and further south in Margaret River.
Mustang Sally
As lunchtime approached, we headed to our next stop at Oakway Estate, tucked away in leafy green surroundings on the outskirts of Donnybrook.
Oakway Estate owners Wayne and Ria Hammond took us through tasting their full range of red and white wines and beers from their onsite craft brewery- Ned’s Brew Club. We were most pleasantly surprised by their Moscato, (we aren’t usually Moscato people) it was subtly sweet and had a creamy sweetness rather than an overly sweet Moscato.
The woodfire pizzas we had for lunch at Oakway really hit the spot and were the perfect accompaniment to a cold glass of Oakway Sauvignon Blanc Semillon.
Oakway offer woodfire pizzas and tapas style dining from their cellar door café- you can view their current menu here.
You can also keep upto date with what’s happening at Oakway via their Facebook page.
Our final destination for the day was an absolute treat. We stopped in at Smallwater Estate and Smallwater Kitchen and Deck for some divine tapas and wine.
Smallwater Estate is located in Newlands, which is just a short 15-minute scenic drive from Donnybrook.
Smallwater Estate’s wine has won numerous awards and they are known as the most awarded boutique winery in the Bunbury Geographe Region.
Our favourite Smallwater Estate wines were the Cellar Door Reserve and the Unwooded Chardonnay.
Smallwater Kitchen and Deck offer tapas style dining using fresh and seasonal produce. We sat out on the picturesque deck area overlooking the vineyards and dam containing live marron (which is also on the menu).
Our favourites were the fried potatoes with garlic and parsley butter, the spiced meatballs and Charcuterie.
Smallwater Kitchen and Deck also offer brunch dining on Sundays and Mondays.
Dining on the deck at Smallwater Kitchen and Deck was certainly a fantastic way to wrap up a great day of adventures in the Bunbury Geographe Region.
Be sure to like the Smallwater Estate Facebook page to keep upto date events and happenings.
We thoroughly enjoyed the tour and it certainly opened our eyes to some of the gems that are tucked away in the Bunbury Geographe Region.
In fact, we are already planning our return (with friends) to the wineries we visited, as we couldn’t stop raving about each stop and their offerings.
Check out Mr Mustang Hire if you would like to treat yourself or a loved one to an absolutley unforgettable experience.
Keep upto date with Sally’s travels via the Mr Mustang Hire Facebook page and Instagram.
LOVE PERTH LIFE 