A taste of nature at Voyager Estate, Margaret River WA
This day trip is a feast for the senses.
As the golden end of a warm day settles over Voyager Estate, the hills of rolling vines are literally abuzz. Driving slowly past glistening rows of chenin blanc vines, busting with bright new spring buds, the sound of life is unmistakeable. Insects, hawks, eagles, ibis and native ducks fill the air with movement and sound; there’s a sense that life is everywhere. “These vines are singing,” says Voyager Estate vineyard manager Glen Ryan, looking out over the property, which shares its footprint with native karri, blackbutt and marri trees.
Voyager Estate wasn’t always so lively. For decades, the Margaret River vineyard was like so many of its neighbours: a neat, quiet monoculture. Sprayed regularly to ward off pests and weeds, incidental life – chirping insects and squawking birds, in particular – found it hard to flourish here.
Then Ryan and his team set about making a profound change. With the blessing of proprietor Alexandra Burt, Ryan started taking Voyager wholly organic, removing chemicals from the farm and instituting a natural regimen for the soil and the vines. The result has been one of the most dramatic transformations of a large-scale winery in Australia, with Voyager due to be certified organic in January after more than a decade of incremental change. The 110ha property, 280km south of Perth, has been producing its signature wines without pesticides for years, but the bureaucracy of the certification process moves at a slower pace.
As a business proposal, going organic was not an obvious move for a winery that was already commercially successful and producing great wine. Yields are now 30 per cent lower than they were in pre-organic days. The cost of producing the grapes is higher, too. But “it’s such a beautiful way to farm”, says Ryan, who adds that the property is now on the way to becoming carbon neutral. The use of renewable energy, carbon offsets, waste reduction and comprehensive recycling, land rehabilitation and revegetation activities are all now part of Voyager’s focus.
Established in 1978, Voyager Estate was bought by Burt’s father, mining heir Michael Wright, in 1991. The site, in the micro-climate of Stevens Valley, is perfect for the production of world-class wines. For day-trippers, learning about the organic transformation of the place provides a feel-good backdrop as you enjoy this historic property and dine at its exquisite onsite restaurant. While the estate doesn’t offer accommodation – there are lodgings at Cape Lodge if you’re looking for a luxury escape, or seek out Burnside Organic Farm for a farm-style experience – it makes a picture-perfect cellar-door day out. It’s hard not to be impressed by the white Cape Dutch-style homestead at the property’s heart.
Visitors can choose to settle in at the Wine Room, which offers tasting flights of Voyager’s chardonnay and shiraz range, or book in for the full experience – a seven-course degustation lunch. The wines are chosen first and the pared-back dishes are designed to complement them. During our visit, these dishes include abalone from nearby Augusta, local lamb, and dessert that comes with a scoop of Geraldton wax ice-cream. It’s Margaret River on the plate, and perfectly natural to boot. I’ll raise a glass to that.