Hidden Gems: Boutique Full-Day Wine, Farm & Lunch Tour

Margaret River’s best surprise here is that this is more than a wine tour. Your day begins by feeding alpacas and emus, then moves through chocolate, coffee, olive oil, ocean views, and three small wineries. Guides Dani and Ziggy keep the pace friendly and add local stories between stops.

I like the small maximum of 11 people, which makes it easier to chat with the guide and the producers. I also like the farm-to-table shape of the day: scones at a farm, olive oil and lunch among the trees, then a broad look at Margaret River wine.

The one thing to consider is the long seven-hour schedule. You will taste a lot of wine, with one review noting more than 30 samples, so this suits adults who want a full day rather than a quick cellar-door visit.

Key points to know before booking

• Feed alpacas and emus before breakfast-style morning tea: Start with a close-up farm visit, scones with jam and cream, and locally roasted coffee or tea.
• Taste across three small wineries: Ashbrook Estate, Brown Hill Estate, and Redgate Wines each add a different stop to the wine day.
• Lunch is at Olio Bello: Sample olive oils and olive-based products before a farm-to-plate meal at the cafe.
• The coast gets a brief but useful pause: At Gracetown, you may see surfers, dolphins, or migrating whales, depending on the day.
• Small-group transport keeps the day personal: Pickup and drop-off are offered at Margaret River in-town locations, with a maximum of 11 people.
• The price covers the major pieces: At $136.28 per person, lunch, tastings, transport, and morning tea are included, but lunch drinks and purchases cost extra.

A farm breakfast with alpacas and emus

The first stop gives this outing its own character. At Margaret River Hideaway & Farmstay, you can hand-feed alpacas and emus before sitting down to morning tea.

The food is simple and well chosen for the setting: scones with jam and cream, plus locally roasted coffee or tea. It is not a full breakfast, so you may want to eat before pickup if you usually need a substantial morning meal.

You have about 55 minutes here. That is enough time for the animals, a hot drink, and a relaxed start without turning the visit into a rushed photo stop.

I like this opening because it eases you into the day. Instead of stepping straight from a minibus into a tasting room, you begin with farm life and a chance to meet the other people in your group.

The animal encounter also helps families and non-drinkers enjoy the first hour. Children under seven must use the provided child seat requirement, and the tour permits service animals. The overall experience is aimed at most participants, but this is still a country property, so comfortable shoes are sensible.

Temper Temper brings chocolate, coffee, and tea

The next stop, Temper Temper Fine Chocolate, is short at about 25 minutes. You get a fine chocolate tasting and a look at the coffee-roasting side of the business.

This is best viewed as a compact tasting stop rather than a long workshop. One detailed account described the chocolate tasting as taking only a few minutes, though the shop itself offers time to browse.

That makes this a good place to pick up a gift if something catches your eye, but purchases are not included in the tour price. The stop adds a sweet break before the wine tasting begins and gives the day more variety than a schedule built only around vineyards.

The coffee element also connects neatly with the morning tea. You get to see that Margaret River’s food culture is not limited to grapes, and you are free to decide how much time you want to spend looking around.

Ashbrook Estate begins the wine program

Ashbrook Estate is the first of three boutique wineries. You have about an hour for tasting and discussion, with the exact wines and order of stops subject to the day’s arrangements.

The point of visiting smaller wineries is not simply the number of glasses in front of you. It is the chance to see different approaches to Margaret River wine and to ask questions in a less commercial setting.

The day is designed to show a range of styles, so you do not need to arrive as a wine expert. The guides explain the region and help connect what you taste with the places you visit.

If you are serious about wine, the three winery stops give you a useful comparison. If you are new to wine tasting, the variety can help you work out what you like without committing to a single large estate.

The volume of tasting deserves some thought. Several accounts describe generous pours or a very high total number of samples, including one estimate of more than 30 wines across the day. Use the spit buckets where available, drink water, and remember that the driver is handling the road for you.

Gracetown adds ocean air to the itinerary

After the first winery, the minibus heads to Gracetown for a 15-minute coastal and nature stop. The water is described for its green color, and the lookout gives you a quick change of scene from the cellar door.

The guide may point out surfers and tell the story connected with Grace. Dolphins riding the waves and migrating whales are possible sightings, but neither is guaranteed.

Fifteen minutes is not enough for a walk or a long beach visit. It is a short viewpoint pause, so you should treat it as a chance to stretch, take photographs, and see a different side of the Margaret River area.

I think this small break matters more than its length suggests. A full day of tastings can feel enclosed, and the ocean stop gives your senses a reset before lunch.

Olio Bello combines tasting and a proper meal

Olio Bello is the longest stop, with about an hour and 15 minutes. Lunch takes place at an olive farm cafe among the olive groves, after a tasting of olive oils and olive-based products.

This is one of the strongest parts of the schedule because the tasting leads naturally into the meal. You get to try the main ingredient in several forms, then eat a farm-to-plate lunch made with fresh ingredients.

Lunch is included, which helps the $136.28 price make more sense. Drinks other than water are not included, so budget for an extra glass or other beverage if you want one with the meal.

The stop also supports the kind of small local businesses that give this region its identity. You are not simply being taken to a generic restaurant between wineries. The farm, shop, tasting, and cafe all belong to the same food story.

You should allow enough time to enjoy this stop instead of treating it as fuel for the afternoon. The meal has been a highlight for many people, and the large variety of olive oils and condiments gives you a chance to buy something useful for home, though all gifts and purchases are extra.

Brown Hill Estate keeps the tasting personal

The second winery, Brown Hill Estate, brings you back to wine after lunch. The allocated time is about one hour, giving you room for more samples and conversation.

The appeal of a boutique winery is often the direct connection with the people behind the bottle. You may find the setting and welcome more personal than at a large commercial cellar door, though the exact host can vary.

This is also where pacing becomes important. You have already had morning tea, chocolate, lunch, and a first winery, so you may appreciate the guide’s reminders to take your time and drink water.

For a mixed group, this stop works because the day is not built around technical wine talk alone. The guide can fill the drive with local information, while you decide how closely to follow the tasting notes.

Redgate Wines closes with a winemaker connection

Redgate Wines is the final scheduled winery, again with about an hour. The stop has a particularly personal feel when Ray, the owner and winemaker, is hosting and explaining the wines.

That producer connection is a key reason to choose this tour over a self-drive route. You are not only ticking off cellar doors. You are meeting people who have followed their grapes from the vineyard through to the bottle.

The final stop can also be a good time to compare your favorites. After three wineries, you will have tasted enough styles to know which bottles appeal to you, although any wine purchases are at your own cost.

Because the tour returns to the original meeting point, you do not need to plan a second transport arrangement at the end. Just keep in mind that the day begins at 9:00 a.m. and lasts around seven hours.

What the guide adds between the stops

The driver is a major part of this experience. Dani is repeatedly described as friendly, entertaining, well informed about local history, and attentive to the group. Ziggy receives similar praise for setting a relaxed mood and making introductions easy.

That matters in Margaret River, where the drive between farms, coast, and wineries is part of the day. A silent transfer would make the tour feel like a series of disconnected bookings. A guide who explains the region gives the stops a clearer shape.

The group size helps here. With no more than 11 people, you can ask questions without trying to speak over a large coach group. You also have a better chance of getting to know the other people on board, which can make a full day feel less formal.

The tone appears relaxed rather than rushed. One account described ending the day with new friends from around the world, while another praised the way the guide eased the group into the morning. That is useful if you are traveling alone or want a social day without booking a party-style outing.

Is $136.28 good value?

At $136.28 per person, this is not the cheapest way to visit a single winery, but it covers a lot. You receive pickup and drop-off from Margaret River in-town locations, an air-conditioned vehicle, wine tastings at three wineries, morning tea, and lunch.

You also avoid the practical problems of self-driving after wine tasting. Someone else handles the route, and the schedule links producers that may be awkward to combine on your own in one day.

The value is strongest if you plan to make full use of the variety. You are paying for more than wine: farm animals, scones, coffee, chocolate, a coastal view, olive oil, lunch, and three cellar doors.

The price is less compelling if your only goal is to spend hours at one winery or if you prefer to choose every bottle and meal yourself. It is also worth remembering that lunch drinks, souvenirs, olive products, chocolate, and wine purchases are not included.

With a maximum of 11 people, the price includes a more personal format than a large bus excursion. For a first visit to Margaret River, I think the combination offers solid value, especially if you do not have a designated driver.

Who will enjoy this full-day outing?

I would recommend it to first-time visitors who want a broad introduction to the region. You get food, wine, farms, coast, and local businesses in one well-filled day.

It also suits couples and friends who care about regional produce as much as wine. The olive farm and morning tea give the day enough variety for someone who enjoys tasting but does not want six straight hours in cellar doors.

Families with older children may find the animal farm and chocolate stop useful, though the schedule is still built around adult wine tastings. Young children under seven need to sit in a child seat.

Solo visitors can benefit from the small group and social pace. The guide-led format removes the work of planning routes and makes it easier to meet people during a long day.

I would be more cautious about booking it if you dislike structured schedules, do not drink wine, or want a slow lunch with lots of free time. The day is relaxed for a seven-hour tour, but it still has seven planned stops and a substantial amount of tasting.

Practical details that affect your day

Pickup is offered from any Margaret River in-town location, with the listed meeting point at 1 Tunbridge Street. The tour starts at 9:00 a.m. and finishes back at the meeting point.

Wear shoes that are comfortable for a farm visit and bring a layer for the coast. The tour includes an air-conditioned vehicle, but conditions can change outdoors.

The experience requires good weather. If poor weather causes cancellation, you are offered another date or a full refund. The operator also requires a minimum number of people, and if that is not met, you receive the choice of another date or experience, or a full refund.

For other cancellations, you can receive a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before the start time. Changes or cancellations inside that period are not accepted and are not refunded.

Should you book Hidden Gems?

Book this tour if you want to understand Margaret River through its small producers, not just through wine labels. The animal farm, scones, Temper Temper chocolate, Gracetown coast, Olio Bello lunch, and three boutique wineries create a full regional portrait.

I would especially choose it for a first Margaret River visit, a car-free wine day, or a group with mixed interests. Dani and Ziggy add the kind of personal guidance that makes a packed schedule feel human.

Skip it if you want a specialist wine seminar, a private itinerary, or a very quiet day with long breaks. For most people seeking a friendly, varied introduction, the included lunch, transport, tastings, and small group make the $136.28 fare a sensible buy.

FAQ

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts approximately seven hours. It begins at 9:00 a.m. and ends back at the meeting point.

Where does pickup take place?

Pickup and drop-off are offered at any Margaret River in-town location. The listed starting point is 1 Tunbridge Street, Margaret River, Western Australia 6285.

What food and drinks are included?

Morning tea includes scones with jam and cream, locally roasted coffee, or tea. Lunch at Olio Bello is included, but drinks other than water during lunch are not included.

How many wineries do you visit?

You visit three boutique wineries: Ashbrook Estate, Brown Hill Estate, and Redgate Wines. Each winery stop is scheduled for about one hour.

Is the tour suitable for children?

Most participants can take part, and the animal farm and chocolate stop add variety beyond wine tasting. Children under seven must sit in a child seat.

What happens if the tour is canceled because of weather?

If poor weather causes cancellation, you are offered a different date or a full refund. The same choice applies if the minimum number of participants is not reached.