Go west to discover a winery where spirits are high

I first tasted the wines of Ampersand Estates in Western Australia last year - and was very impressed.

Now the regional wine producer is the newest member of the Ultimate Winery Experiences Australia collective, which expands its footprint to the picturesque Pemberton Wine Region south of Perth.

A three-hour drive from the state's capital, the 56-hectare property is located 30 minutes north of Pemberton and 45 minutes east of the famous Margaret River Region.

The Busselton-Margaret River Airport is also 45 minutes away, connecting Australia's eastern hubs of Sydney and Melbourne to the region with direct flights operating multiple times a week.

Guests can also experience VIP helicopter transfers from Perth, landing on the helipad adjacent to the lakeside cellar door.

The cellar door is loctaed on the banks of the Donnelly River, where guests can enjoy guided tastings of Ampersand wines and gourmet picnics starring local produce, with the added bonus for expansive views.

An on-site distillery - Rainfall Distillery at Ampersand Estates - offers guests the opportunity to also taste artisan gins and vodkas using estate-grown chardonnay as the base spirit.

Opening next month, the Rainfall Distillery Gardens - an Australian first - will comprise more than 2,100 plants across 36 fruit, herb and spice species, forming a closed-loop spirits program where every ingredient originates onsite, supported by beehives, rainwater harvesting and on-estate farming.

Ampersand Estates can also host guests overnight in three vineyard residences - the two-bedroom Settlers' Cottage, the five-bedroom Vintner's Residence, and the five-bedroom Homestead.

Ampersand Estates' hero Ultimate Winery Experience - A Marriage of Luxury & Nature (from $3145 for up to four guests) - combines an overnight stay and gourmet breakfast in the architecturally designed luxury accommodation with exclusive private wine tastings and a four-course degustation cooked over the open fire by the estate's Michelin-trained chef; served under the stars in the vineyard, fireside, or in the residence depending on the season.

The Terroir Tasting Experience ($180 per person) is ideal for day visitors, inviting them into the Rainfall Distillery Gardens for an immersive journey that offers a powerful expression of terroir where sustainability, innovation and storytelling converge.

The experience sees guests forage for seasonal botanicals used in Rainfall gins and vodkas before enjoying a guided tasting of estate spirits and signature Pemberton wines, paired with locally sourced charcuterie.

“We are still young in our tourism journey and will introduce the Ultimate Winery Experiences of Ampersand Estates to key distribution partners through upcoming market visits across the United States, Europe, China and Singapore,” said Ampersand Estates co-owner Corrie Scheepers.

“The Ampersand Estates story is a marriage of luxury and nature, where everything in life is better with an 'and'. Our experiences are curated on this philosophy that brings the tastes of the region together through a unique connection to place and our guests.”

Ampersand Estates joins fellow members Vasse Felix, Leeuwin Estate and Voyager Estate in Margaret River, and Mandoon Estate in the Swan Valley, to become the fifth Ultimate Winery in Western Australia.

Discover more at www.ultimatewineryexperiences.com.au

Wine, weddings, parties, anything in Western Australia

Take an American and a South African. Drop them in Western Australia and watch them build a thriving wine business and cellar door, a spirits brand and luxury accommodation.

Ampersand Estates, co-owned by friends and business partners Melissa Bell and Corrie Scheepers, offers wine and events in the Pemberton region of south-west Western Australia.

It is home to three spacious luxury accommodation options surrounded by vineyards, native forest and wild kangaroos.

The Homestead sits on the Donnelly River and has five king-sized bedrooms, each with en suites. The Vintner’s Residence is on a hilltop, overlooking the vineyards and surrounding forest – it also boasts five king-sized bedrooms with en suite bathrooms.

The Settler’s Cottage is a two-bedroom, one-bathroom configuration, adjacent to the lakeside cellar door.

A private in-house chef is available to cater for gourmets and in-house guests also have a weather guarantee.

From July through September, guests staying at Ampersand Estates will enjoy bottomless Ampersand wine - every time it rains.

There is also a Winter Escape package where guests stay three nights and pay for two.



Bell and Scheepers have reinvigorated the former Donnelly River Winery, the oldest winery in the region.

Ampersand is promoted as a "harmonious convergence of premium wines, luxury accommodation, gourmet culinary delights, unique spirits, and the breath-taking natural beauty of Western Australia". 

The property hosts events and weddings, as well as wine lovers.

The wine range includes chardonnay, syrah, rosé, pinot noir and sauvignon blanc - exported to Singapore - while the Rainfall Distillery produces a range of spirits, specialising in gins and vodkas.

Pemberton is 3.5 hours’ drive south of Perth and 40 minutes east of Margaret River region.

Part of the Southern Forests wine region, the Pemberton region boasts six cellar doors and is the Southern Hemisphere’s black Perigord truffle epicentre - producing up to 85% of the annual harvest.

I haven't tried the wines or the spirits yet - but I will report back.  

See www.ampersandestates.com.au