Anyone who has spent time in Margaret River through the cooler months knows things don’t just get greener. Winter changes the landscape completely, and the mood down here changes with it.

At Passel Estate, the vines have dropped their leaves and sit dormant, ready for their July pruning, meanwhile strengthening their roots beneath the damp ground. Fine spider webs shimmer with dew, nestled between bare canes catching the pale sunlight, and on some days, the sound of thick winter swells rolling in from the Indian Ocean can be heard battering the coastline near Ellen Brook and carrying across the property — something owners Wendy and Barry Stimpson say they only notice during the still serenity of a crisp winter’s day at Passel Estate.

“It’s much quieter in winter,” says Wendy. “Very still. Almost entrancing. Summer has its own energy, but I love the quiet beauty of this time of year. There’s something about it that makes you slow down and really pay attention.”

The colours change too. Deciduous ornamentals around the tasting room garden shift through their vibrant autumn colours before creating a collage across the ground of oranges, reds and brown hues. Winter rain transforms the surrounding landscape from pale straw tones into deep greens, peppered with white and yellow fungi and mushrooms as they begin appearing throughout the vineyard and across the trunks of larger trees. The property creates a very different backdrop to the one visitors experience during vintage and harvest time.

As the rains return, the main dam by the tasting room fills with winter water and dark reflections begin appearing across its surface. Mist often hangs above the water on still mornings, creating scenes that regularly find their way onto Wendy’s camera roll and our Passel Estate Instagram feed.

While the Vineyard Rests, the Winemaking Doesn’t

While the vineyard above ground settles into dormancy, winter is anything but quiet behind the scenes.

The vines are pruned and enjoy a well-earned rest after vintage, meanwhile strengthening themselves beneath the soil to survive the cold and prepare for the spring.

Inside the winery, however, the 2026 wines are actively being nurtured, while preparations are already underway for bottling some of last vintage’s wines and disgorging the next sparkling release later in the season.

There is a different rhythm to winter here at Passel Estate. Outside, the vineyard slows down and the landscape invites quiet reflection. Inside, the work of shaping future vintages continues.

Winter Holds Some of Passel Estate’s Most Special Moments

Walking around the property with hers and Barry’s dogs Charlie and Margot during the wetter and cooler months has become one of Wendy’s favourite rituals, taking in the changing colours, the misty mornings and the quieter atmosphere that settles across the estate.

“I think winter in Margaret River has a beauty that’s hard to explain until you’ve experienced it. You naturally slow down and become more aware of everything around you.”

That slower pace carries through to the cellar door as well. The lawn sees far less use during winter and guests don’t necessarily stay longer, but tastings seem to naturally become more relaxed and unhurried which is something we really try to encourage.

“We try to slow the wine tasting experience down, and the slower pace in our tasting room feels even more natural in winter.”

Many winter visitors find themselves spending more time over our Lot 71 Reserve wines, museum releases and vertical tastings, allowing the older wines to reveal their more intricate secondary and tertiary characteristics.

Why Winter and Fine Wines Seem to Belong Together

Our visitors naturally gravitate more towards red wines during winter, particularly our Lot 71 Reserve wines and some of the older vintages.

“These wines really complement the weather and the landscape so well,” says Wendy.

Vertical tastings feel particularly suited to the season, with museum wines and older vintages revealing more integrated acidity, more layered aromas with developed, toasty flavours that seem perfectly at home alongside stormy skies and cooler days.

For her winter pick, it’s the flagship Lot 71 Cabernet Sauvignon. The cold, fresh stillness of winter creates the perfect conditions to focus on the aromas that make great Cabernet so captivating as it matures:  Mulberries. Herbs. Christmas pudding.

“The crisp, fresh air is optimal for focusing on those stunning aromas.”

The slower pace of winter allows visitors to sit with these wines and appreciate them differently, something Wendy believes is part of what makes the season so special.

A Different Side of Margaret River Wine Country

Winter might not bring the crowds of summer, but that’s part of its appeal.

For us, some of the best moments are often the simplest. Walking the property with the dogs after rain. Watching the mist rise above the dam. Opening a bottle of elegantly rich Cabernet and taking the time to enjoy it properly.

“There’s something about the season that makes you move more intentionally and appreciate the property differently,” added Wendy.

Perhaps that’s why so many visitors who discover Margaret River in winter find themselves coming back.