Wills Domain

LOCATION
Fifteen minutes south of Dunsborough in Western Australia’s south-west wine region. Corner of Abbey Farm Road.

PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIA
A visit to the south-west wine region of Western Australia is a must for anyone who appreciates fine food and wine. Just over three hours’ drive from Perth, Wills Domain is south of Dunsborough and boasts some of the region’s most exquisite views, award-winning wines and unique gourmet platters for lunch. Family owned and run with a European wine-making past dating back to 1383, the Haunold family have wine and hospitality in their blood. A contemporary interior and alfresco area boasting the best views in the Margaret River wine region makes for a very relaxed atmosphere where you can completely unwind before perusing the menu. There’s even a playground and kids menu for the little ones.

The menu at Wills Domain is refreshingly innovative and designed to be shared; perfect when sampling the local drop. There’s a small selection of starters like the Yallingup wood-fired bread with extra virgin olive oil, while the main menu consists of a range of platters for two or four people. The Wills platters for two feature the likes of chorizo with prawns, pancetta, baked vegetables and fetta or pistachio-crusted hot smoked salmon with prawns, broccolini and lemon. There’s also a lovely duck confit or char-grilled seasonal vegetables with basil and cashew pesto. Each dish is complemented with a myriad of condiments like avocado aioli and breads. If there’s more than two at your table you may like to go with the “Rex platter”, which includes all the dishes from the Wills platter menu plus condiments and breads. Additional serves of each of these delicious creations can be ordered if you’re particularly hungry or have more than four guests. Great cuisine and wines, charming service and spectacular views make Wills Domain a favourite destination in this unforgettable wine region.

Karen Bilsby