Pinelli Estate Winery & Restaurant – Swan Valley

You may have seen that I was recently back in Perth (to accept an award at the Swan Valley Wine Show – yes I am still absolutely thrilled about this!) and even though it was only for about 24 hours, I made it a high priority to check out my old neighbour – Pinelli Estate in the Swan Valley.

Since Mr Spittoon and I left Perth in March, there have a few new releases at the cellar door and of course the opening of the new Pinelli Estate Restaurant which I was very eager to give a whirl.

We used to live in one of the nearby Swan Valley housing estates. Which meant we very quickly became regulars at Pinelli Estate. I also loved to tell people that I lived less than a kilometre away from a winery. That is if we took the shortcut across the dirt and climbed a fence…

A little sip about Pinelli Estate Wines

Pinelli Estate is a second generation winery with an Italian family heritage. Domenic and Iolanda Pinelli started the vineyard in 1980. Prior to this Domenic was the winemaker for the Waldeck Wines from the 60s.

Domenic received the Icon of the Swan Award at the 2017 Swan Valley Wine Show for his contributions to the region. To celebrate this immense achievement, Pinelli Estate released an exclusive magnum of their Durif. I purchase a bottle as a gift for my Dad last year. He put it striaght into his cellar to consume in a few years down the track.

After retiring, Domenic’s sons, Robert and Daniel, took over the helm. Daniel Pinelli leads the winemaking and he’s doing a mighty fine job. That’s not just my opinion either as they have been receiving awards after awards over the last few years.

Many of the local folk who have lived in the area for many years are very familiar with the Pinelli’s 2-litre flagons. Every time I have been in the cellar door (which is a few times!) there have always been people popping in and out for their flagons.

The Pinelli property is beautiful, from the rose-bushes at the end of the vines to their grapevine trellised patio. The restaurant used to be leased out for Fillaudeau’s Restaurant. However, earlier this year they decided to inject a bit more heritage into the property by opening their own Italian restaurant. More about that below!

The Pinelli cellar door & wines

If you haven’t visited the Pinelli cellar door yet, do it! As Mr Spittoon and I call him, ‘young Daniel’ is typically the guy on the cellar door. He is extremely knowledgeable about the wine range and if you’re keen for a bit of chat about the footy or cricket – he’s your man in that department too!

Haha and no he didn’t pose for this photo, I don’t even think he realised I took it at the time!

Cellar door tastings are free of charge and typically you can try everything on the tasting list. The bottle prices are very wallet-friendly starting at $16.

From sparkling to dry whites (Verdelho, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Vermentino), rosé and reds (Merlot, Cabernet, Shiraz, Durif) – they have those with dry palates covered.

Read my review of the Pinelli 2016 Sparkling Brut

If you prefer your sweet wines, then you’ll be happy to know they have both a white and pink Moscato as well as a late harvest dessert wine and a range of fortified wines too.

I am currently hanging out for the 2018 Rosé to be officially released so I can snap some up. We were very lucky to get a wee taste when we visited and later found out it was awarded a gold medal at the Swan Valley Wine Show as well as being the highest rated Rosé at the show! Well done guys!

On this visit, I was also a big fan of the Grenache 2017 La Tavola and as always both the Juliet and Eve bubbles continue to entice my palate.

Once we had finished our tasting we caught up with the lovely Perth Cafe Culture and Wines and Books for a spot of lunch. It was great to catch up with these two who have such a wonderful passion for the wine world.

The Pinelli Restaurant

If you’re in Perth and love Italian food – you need to visit this super laid back and beautiful spot in the Swan Valley.

Now I’m no food blogger or critic (my food descriptors typically include; yum, delicious, I want more) but I can safely say the food was as on point as the wine was!

My favourite, must-eat dish of the day had to be the arancini. The descriptor – ‘lightly crumbed Arborio rice with pumpkin and creamy camembert, beetroot puree, balsamic and paprika aioli’. Trust me, it’s $14 well spent!

For my main I went for the Ragu Bolognese on Daniel Pinelli’s recommendation and it went down a treat. This spaghetti with 6-hour slow braised kangaroo, pork and beef ragu smothered in bechamel sauce and fresh herbs was an absolute delight for $26.

Mr Spittoon decided to go simple and traditional. He chose the ‘pomodoro’ pasta – spaghetti in rich roma tomato and basil sauce for $18.

The char-grilled calamari with fresh herbs, chilli, garlic, EVOO and rocket that Mr & Mrs Perth Cafe Culture ordered, looked really good too!

We downed a few bottles of wine, devoured everything on our plates and we left with happy and full stomachs.

The question now is, how can I order for delivery in Victoria??

The aftertaste

Awesome people, top-notch wines and great food. Seriously Perth, what more could you want from a winery that is literally right on your doorstep? Get out there and support what these guys have created by showering your taste buds with deliciousness.

Address: 30 Bennett St, Caversham WA 6055
Phone: (08) 9279 6818
Website: pinelliwines.com.au

The cellar door is open 9am-5pm Monday – Friday and from 10am-5pm on Saturday and Sundays.