Fermoy Estate

Fermoy Estate is an intimate cellar door on Metricup Road in Wilyabrup, in the middle of the Margaret River wine strip, with a reputation built on Cabernet Sauvignon and cool climate Chardonnay. Well behaved dogs are welcome across the estate's outdoor grounds and shady lawns, so a visit easily becomes a glass and a grazing plate on the grass rather than a quick tasting.

The dog setup

Dogs on lead are welcome across the outdoor grounds, lawns and picnic areas, and the team provides water bowls and is generous with pats. The indoor tasting room is small and best treated as people only; settle on the lawn instead. Bring a towel if the grass is dewy, and keep the lead on, since the grounds are open and shared with other visitors.

The vibe

Personal and unhurried. Tastings run to about five current release wines, seated or at the bar, at $15 a head redeemable against any purchase on the day. The Cabernet has taken international trophies, and the Chardonnay is the other pillar of the range. Wines pour by the glass with a seasonal small bites menu, which is the dog friendly path: pick the lawn, order a glass and a plate, and stay a while. Walk-ins are taken when space allows, but weekend afternoons deserve a booking.

Pepsi: A glass, a grazing board and the shady lawn. That is the whole assignment here.

Getting there and parking

The cellar door is at 838 Metricup Road, Wilyabrup, about 25 to 30 minutes from Margaret River town and a similar run south from Busselton. Free on-site parking sits beside the door. Open daily from 11am to 5pm, closing on Good Friday, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Pair it with

Stormflower Vineyard and Clairault Streicker are both dog friendly Wilyabrup cellar doors within a short drive, and Lenton Brae sits just down Caves Road. Between tastings, the Wadandi Track offers a flat gravel walk that suits an on lead leg stretch.

More WA wineries and the Wilyabrup guide are linked below.