Refined winery dining that understands the brief and delivers flawlessly.
There’s a calmness to lunch here, seated on the split-level elevated deck looking out to stands of towering native trees. Servers understand that most guests come to soak up the atmosphere and drink the wine, rather than hear a lengthy treatise on ‘chef’s vision’. In fact, as with any great winery restaurant, chef Dan Gedge and his team are there to elevate the wine experience. They certainly nail the brief. If you can do a full tasting, then do – you will be rewarded tenfold. If you’re driving or simply moderating, the staff is amenable to pouring a half-glass, and the wine knowledge on display is confident and enthusiastic. An opening salvo of canapés include a beautifully prepared tartlet and the simplicity of a single Albany Rock Oyster. Bread is served with tangy cultured butter and the added joy of Cambray sheep’s curd, olive oil, and honey with the slightest hint of rosemary. Light yet earthy golden beetroot pairs with sharp fromage blanc and the brightness of sunrise lime and estate-grown marigold. Vivid orange on the plate, it presents like a West Coast sunset. Gedge is often cited for his grasp on seafood (having worked under Nathan Outlaw and Rick Stein), and he’s no slouch with proteins like Arkady Lamb, but these accolades perhaps almost belie his delicate touch with vegetables and an unabashed refinement that is perfectly in tune with all things Leeuwin Estate.
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