WE ARE DELIGHTED TO SHARE WITH YOU THIS LOVELY ARTICLE ON AUSTRALIA’S BEST RESTAURANTS AND WINERIES WRITTEN BY GRAHAM BOYNTON IN THE TELEGRAPH OVER THE WEEKEND

From the cosmopolitan centres of Sydney and Melbourne to Mudgee and beyond, Australia’s lauded restaurants and vineyards are on course to rival the Old World’s best.

“The first vine planting in Margaret River was in the 1960s, when three doctors – Tom Cullity of Vasse Felix, Bill Pannell of Moss Wood and Kevin Cullen of Cullen Wines – decided to test the theory that the region could produce high-quality wines. As they subsequently proved, the climate and soil are ideal for growing cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay. In fact, compared with Bordeaux, Margaret River has 25 per cent fewer days when temperatures rise above 30C but enjoys more sunshine hours during the growing season – viticulture perfection.

My first stop is the Cullen Estate where Vanya Cullen, the daughter of one of the founding doctors, is making some of the best wines in the region. She was the first woman to be named Australian Winemaker of the Year in 2000 and was “Green Personality of the Year” in 2011 for her work in sustainability. Cullen is a certified biodynamic estate which Vanya describes as “a winery with a biodynamic garden”. This rather understates the case, for the food and wines served in the restaurant are memorably good and the jam, the pickle and the honey are exquisite. I have never been a great consumer of honey, but this was so good it was addictive. And the barramundi I had at lunch at Cullen’s was the freshest and sweetest I have tasted.”

The full article can be found here:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/luxury/travel/19956/australias-best-restaurants-and-wineries.html