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Margaret River has more cellar doors than you could visit in a month of weekends. That’s the good news. The bad news is that they’re spread along country roads, public transport is thin on the ground, and the tastings add up quicker than you’d think.
So this guide does two things. It helps you choose a handful of wineries worth the drive, and it gives you a plan so that nobody has to drive home after one too many.
How we picked these wineries
- Long-established and well regarded. These are widely recognised names with cellar doors open to the public. We haven’t ranked them, and we haven’t been paid to include any of them.
- Grouped by area, so you can visit two or three without zig-zagging across the region.
- A mix of experiences, from big estates with restaurants to smaller family-run cellar doors.
- No tasting notes or scores from us. We haven’t run a formal tasting, and we won’t pretend we have. Go and taste for yourself.
- Check before you go: opening hours, booking rules and tasting fees change. Every winery listed has its own website.
First, the designated-driver plan
Sort this out before you leave, not at the second cellar door.
Know the limits
In Western Australia, learner and provisional (L and P plate) drivers must have a zero blood alcohol concentration (BAC), and some other drivers have a zero limit too. For the limits that apply to you, follow the official advice from WA Police on drink driving and the Road Safety Commission. A tasting pour or two at each of several wineries can easily put you over. There’s no reliable way to “count” your way to safe, so if you’re driving, the simplest rule is not to drink.
Option 1: Book a winery tour
Several local operators run small-group and private winery tours, with pick-up from your accommodation. Nobody has to drive, and the guide usually knows which cellar doors suit your taste. Compare tour operators in the wine, beer and food tours section of the official Margaret River visitor site. Book ahead on weekends and in holidays.
Option 2: Take turns
Travelling with friends? Split the weekend: one person drives on Saturday and another on Sunday. Make the driver’s day worth it. Many cellar doors offer non-alcoholic drinks, and most winery restaurants have good food whether you drink or not.
Option 3: Spit, and buy bottles
Serious tasters spit. There’s no shame in it; the spittoon is there for a reason. The driver can taste, spit, and buy bottles to enjoy at your accommodation that evening.
Option 4: Stay close and keep it local
Pick a base near the wineries you want to visit and plan a short day: two cellar doors and a long lunch. Then head back and put your feet up. Don’t count on finding a taxi or ride-share on the spot, especially at night. If you need one, book it ahead.
Where to unwind after a day of tastings
Choose somewhere you can switch off once you’re back. River Reach Chalet is a two-bedroom bush chalet close to the river, a short drive from town.
Disclosure: River Reach Chalet was previously our founder’s business, and our founder still has a financial interest in it.
It sleeps four, which suits two couples on a wine weekend, and it’s quiet: no parties allowed. Once the car’s parked, it stays parked. Book direct through Margaret River Holiday Houses, or compare other options in our guide to where to stay in Margaret River.
The wineries
Wilyabrup and surrounds (north of town)
This stretch north of Margaret River township has some of the region’s oldest vineyards.
- Vasse Felix. Established in 1967, it calls itself Margaret River’s founding wine estate. There’s a cellar door, a restaurant and an art gallery.
- Cullen Wines. Known for its biodynamic approach: the winery is certified biodynamic, and its Wine Room kitchen cooks with produce from the estate’s own garden.
- Moss Wood. One of the region’s pioneering estates, best known for Cabernet Sauvignon. Its visit page says it welcomes members for tastings and private visits by appointment only, so check there first.
- Woodlands Wines. A Wilyabrup estate with a focus on Cabernet. Check its cellar door page for current opening times before you go.
- Fraser Gallop Estate. An estate with a cellar door among the vines on Metricup Road, about fifteen minutes north of Margaret River.
- Howard Park. Its Margaret River cellar door is set among native bushland.
Wallcliffe and south of town
- Leeuwin Estate. One of the region’s founding wineries, known for its Art Series wines and its restaurant. Check its website for current events.
- Voyager Estate. Known for its gardens and its restaurant.
- Xanadu Wines. A cellar door and a restaurant (book lunch ahead) on Boodjidup Road, a short drive from town.
- Cape Mentelle. One of the region’s original wineries, based on Wallcliffe Road.
A sample day (with a driver)
| Time | Stop | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Late morning | One cellar door in Wilyabrup | Start fresh, taste properly |
| Lunch | A winery restaurant (booked) | Long lunch, with water on the table |
| Afternoon | One more cellar door, or the chocolate shop | Something for the non-drinkers too |
| Late afternoon | Back to base | Feet up before dark (and before the kangaroos) |
Three stops is plenty. Four is pushing it. Six is how people end up at the wrong cellar door, having forgotten where they parked.
Tips for a better winery day
- Book lunch. Popular winery restaurants book out, especially on weekends.
- Eat before you taste. It makes a real difference.
- Drink water between tastings. Most cellar doors will happily give you a glass.
- Ask about shipping. Many wineries ship within Australia, so you don’t have to fit a dozen bottles in the boot.
- Check whether there’s a tasting fee, and whether it’s waived if you buy.
- Watch for kangaroos on the roads at dawn and dusk.
Take a bottle home
Found something you love? See Australian-made gifts from Margaret River for packing and shipping tips, plus chocolate, cheese and olive oil to go with it.
More Margaret River guides
- A Margaret River weekend itinerary: 2 days, 2 nights
- Christmas and summer in Margaret River
- A South West WA nature day
Written by our editors. We haven’t been paid by any winery mentioned. Please drink responsibly and never drink and drive. Last checked: 31 October 2026.