Glenarty Road 2021 Winner
There are regional restaurants where kitchen gardens and stocked paddocks are more set dressing than reality. Then there are those like Glenarty Road, a place where owners-growers-winemakers Ben and Sasha McDonald have a hand in every aspect of the business, from the vines to the paddock to the cellar door to the restaurant floor. Take a seat at this Karridale winery-restaurant, and the next refreshing aspect is how it treads a line of contemporary class and rustic charm. The dining room is basic but just right, and the food is refreshingly honest, leaning on estate produce (vegetables, lamb, house charcuterie) then supporting it just so with estate wines. A fine marriage of a chef (Jess Widmer) to a venue that oozes warmth and confidence. For that, a deserving winner.
