Western Australia: Denmark Wine Tasting

Choosing where to wine taste in Denmark was a less daunting task then Margaret River. The wineries on the local tourist map were only about a dozen and many were closed on the day we were tasting. We chose Howard Park as our first stop because Lonely Planet recommended it, and it was on the way towards town. It turned out to be the best winery of the day and we were glad we bought so much wine from them.

Howard Park is also maker of the Mad Fish wines, and we really enjoyed both ranges. For the group, we bought a bottle of sparkling to share on Thanksgiving, a few Pinot Noirs and a several whites such as Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc Semillon blends. I bought a Pinot Noir here to bring home to the US and Michelle and I each bought cute t-shirts. The turtle labels and the raised bumps are based on local Aboriginal art, and they are really cool!

Our next stop was Forest Hill, a large winery with an impressive modern tasting room. The downsides were that it was our pourer's very first day, and that we didn't think the wines were all that great. We bought one token bottle here.

 The group at Forest Hill wines

The weather was nice so we decided to picnic at the local beach, and it was absolutely beautiful!

We still wanted to squeeze in a few more wineries, so we hit the backroads to head to the Lake House and Mathilda wines. I wasn't feeling so well with being in the back seat on windy roads, so I opted out of most of these winery's options, but the group seemed to like them and we did buy a bottle or two.

Matilda wines, last winery of the day in Denmark

Back at the lodge, Brett and Michelle napped while Lorenzo and I did a walk around the property. The views and solitude were so peaceful and it was a great way to end a day of wine tasting in a boutique and little-known region outside Australia.

Once it was dinner time, we had the luxury of only having to reheat the beef bourgignon that Lorenzo had prepared the night before. And when I say night before, I mean he was up a few times in the middle of the night to stir it, turn the heat down, etc. The labor of love was worth the effort and we had a hearty homemade stew, crusty garlic bread and a light green salad for dinner. This night we cracked open a Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 Reserve wine from Knotting Hill, which was super yummy with the beef.

Since Lorenzo and I hadn't napped like the rest of the crew, by 10pm it was bed time....

Wednesday we were off to Stirling Range National Park for Thanksgiving and hiking!