Ampersand Estates has become the newest member of Ultimate Winery Experiences Australia, joining a hand-selected collection of just 30 premium award-winning wineries across the country. The distinction places the 56-hectare estate amongst Australia’s most celebrated wine tourism destinations and marks a big milestone for the Pemberton property.
Located three hours south of Perth, Ampersand Estates sits in the Pemberton Wine Region, 30 minutes north of Pemberton town and 45 minutes east of the famed Margaret River region. The estate is the fifth Western Australian winery to join the prestigious collection, alongside Swan Valley’s Mandoon Estate and Margaret River icons Vasse Felix, Leeuwin Estate, and Voyager Estate.
Two signature experiences showcase Pemberton terroir
Ultimate Winery Experiences Australia membership recognises wineries that invite visitors to go beyond the cellar door, and Ampersand Estates delivers with two distinctly luxurious offerings.
The hero experience, A Marriage of Luxury & Nature, combines an overnight stay in one of three luxury residences with exclusive private wine tastings and an intimate four-course degustation. The estate’s Michelin-trained chef cooks over an open fire, serving dinner under the stars in the vineyard, fireside, or in your accommodation. The experience includes a gourmet breakfast and starts from $3,145 for up to four guests.
During the day, you can opt for the Terroir Tasting Experience at $180.00 per person, which is an immersive foraging journey through the Rainfall Distillery Gardens. Opening next month, the experience will highlight artisanal gin and vodka made with estate-grown chardonnay as the base spirit, creating Australia’s first single-estate, closed-loop spirits program, where every ingredient originates on-site, supported by beehives, rainwater harvesting, and on-estate farming.
A year of recognition and growth
Co-owner Corrie Scheepers, who runs the estate with business partner Melissa Bell, sees the Ultimate Winery Experiences Australia induction as a gateway to global recognition.
“Being recognised through this program as one of Australia’s premier wine tourism destinations unlocks significant global potential – it could not be achieved otherwise. We are still young in our tourism and wine journey, and will introduce the ultimate winery experiences of Ampersand Estates to key distribution partners through upcoming market visits across Australia, the United States, Europe, China and Singapore.”
The philosophy behind Ampersand Estates is simple: everything is better with an ‘and’. It’s a marriage of luxury and nature that brings the tastes of the region together through a unique connection to place and each other.
“And we strongly believe a Margaret River itinerary is enhanced with an Ampersand Estates add-on or as the idyllic basecamp for exploration, providing travellers with a reinvigorated way to experience one of Australia’s most iconic regions,” Scheepers said.
It’s been a momentous year for the estate. Ampersand Estates was crowned Western Australia’s Favourite Wine at the inaugural Top Up Wine Awards for its Pinot Noir, launched distribution partnerships in Singapore and Sydney, and introduced an exclusive membership for US and Singaporean wine aficionados. Leading wine critic Ray Jordan awarded the Homestead Syrah and the Pinot Noir 96 and 94 points, respectively.
Unrivalled access to the South West’s most iconic landscapes
Ultimate Winery Experiences Australia Executive Officer Sarah Myers said Ampersand Estates embodies everything the collective stands for: premium wine, immersive culinary and hospitality offerings, and inspirational experiences that take guests beyond the cellar door.
“Ampersand Estates has a deep and genuine connection to Western Australia’s Pemberton Wine Region and brings a distinctive and elevated voice to Australia’s premium wine tourism story,” Myers said.
The estate’s setting places guests at the heart of the South West’s most spectacular natural attractions. Towering old-growth karri forests, ancient river systems, land-locked sand dunes, truffle country, and dramatic coastlines are all within easy reach, offering an unparalleled base for exploring one of Western Australia’s most diverse regions.
