Wine & Food

Along the Margaret River coast, people eat what the sea and the surrounding farms provide, and that shapes how the wines here are built. Freshwater crayfish called marron are raised in purpose-built ponds throughout the region and taste delicate, almost like a cross between lobster and crayfish.

Marron tastes best simply boiled and served with a squeeze of lemon. Sometimes it's pan-fried in butter instead. That butter is exactly what pairs with the region's Chardonnay: its acidity cuts through the fat, while the oak in the wine has nothing to fight against the pan's toasty notes. It simply plays along.

The white blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc also works well with marron, especially when it's served simply boiled. Its freshness doesn't need toasty notes as a counterpoint; instead, it simply lifts the sweetness of the meat without overwhelming its delicate flavor.

The Cabernet blend, on the other hand, pairs with whatever comes off the grill or out of the oven. Beef from the pastures around the region carries enough fat and char to soften the tannin, and game from the surrounding forests brings exactly the dark, spicy notes already present in the glass.

What you'll rarely find in Margaret River is a sweet dessert wine from local fruit, since the climate is too cool—noble rot doesn't develop the grape here. Anyone wanting a dessert wine at the table usually reaches for a late-harvest, concentrated wine from a warmer Australian region instead. At its own table, the region prefers to stay savory, salty, and true to its two colors: white with the marron, red with the meat off the grill.