Tasty Voyage of discovery

GAIL Williams tries shiraz at a Margaret River winery founded by an eccentric, wealthy iron-ore heir who was a teetotaller.

voyager winery escape nov 3

A WINERY founded by a meticulous, eccentric teetotaller who was one of Australia's richest men.

That's reason enough to visit Voyager Estate in Margaret River in the southwest corner of WA. Add the intrigue of the second-biggest flagpole in Australia  - pipped by the one at Parliament House in Canberra  - or a picnic among 1000 roses with a 2007 shiraz that outrated Grange. That's surely enough to put the winery at the top of the list.

But now there's another reason  -  a state-of-the-art tasting facility that is the first in Australia to enter the digital age.

It has a private tasting room named after Michael Wright, the iron-ore heir who, in 1991, built the winery as his country retreat. It was created with an attention to detail that the owner, who died on April 27, would have loved.

Wright oversaw every facet of the estate, including the South Africa-inspired buildings, the vines that date to 1892, the roses and the collection of old generators on the 300ha property.

He would watch over the raising of the giant flag, which required the efforts of three men.

And, against the backdrop of the grand, ornately rounded gables of the Cape Dutch cellar door, he could often be seen pruning the roses. Wearing his characteristic khaki shorts with a clipboard in the side pocket, he would often bail up surprised customers and ask them to name three things they didn't like about his winery.

No one ever answered "Your 2007 shiraz", the $32 bottle that outrated Penfolds Grange in The Penguin 2010 Good Australian Wine Guide and put Voyager shiraz on the map.

None of it ever passed Wright's lips. He would only ever smell the wine, preferring to drink the non-alcoholic grape juice he had specially made.

Voyager staff still feel the familiar, offbeat presence of their beloved former boss, giving them a gentle reminder that he is scrutinising every detail in his elegantly furnished room where private tastings are offered.

There's a movement-controlled glass door that opens and closes as his portrait smiles down benevolently.

"That's Michael being cheeky," says sommelier Claire Tonon, who holds regular tastings in the room, which was dedicated to Wright by his daughters Alexandra Burt and Leonie Baldock, who have taken over the reins of the business.

At the centre of the larger tasting room is a huge American oak bar under a giant handcrafted chandelier made from metal vine leaves.

Walk-in tastings are conducted around the bar but the two separate private areas can be booked. Using iPads, visitors can download an app to research the wines they are tasting and see virtual tours of the winery.

"Michael's vision was to have Voyager Estate as a world-class 'must-do' tourist destination," cellar door manager Janine Carter says.

Tastings include the famed 2007 shiraz, which Carter says is often the first wine visitors ask about. "That publicity opened up the door for shiraz in the whole region," she says. "It just made people aware of it."

A post-tasting must is lunch in the Voyager restaurant where the soaring ceilings, antique wooden furniture, open fireplaces and brass chandeliers continue the Dutch theme.

Foodie fun in Margaret River

1 Gabriel Chocolate, Yallingup

Husband-and-wife team Gabriel and Ruth Myburg create silky smooth, intensely flavoured single-origin bars of bliss.

2 Blue Ginger Cafe, Margaret River

A shop, delicatessen and catering company, Blue Ginger started life as a deli selling Asian groceries, local honey, olive oil and cheeses from the southwest. It is now known for its hearty breakfasts and lunches, and the fabulous freshly roasted coffee.

3 Morries Anytime, Margaret River

This cafe's from-the-heart philosophy is summed up in its name. Named after the book Tuesdays with Morrie, about the bond between a dying man and a journalist, it has plenty of heart.

4 Must Margaret River, Margaret River

It's a cliche to say "you must dine at Must" while in Margaret River. But, there's nothing cliched about what's on offer in this southern outpost of the chic Perth bistro owned by Russell Blaikie. Chef Roy Thomas does a particularly fine gnocchi with braised rabbit.

5 McHenry Hohnen, The Margaret River Farm Shop, Margaret River

The Hohnen family farm has a cult following among chefs around the country. David Hohnen  - who established Cape Mentelle and Cloudy Bay wineries  -  is the go-to bloke for organic free-range meats grown, butchered and cured on site.