Porongurup Festival toasts the region’s best produce under the scenic ranges

At the edge of the picturesque Porongurup Range, food and wine producers will come together this month to showcase the best of their region at the annual Porongurup Festival. Looking up at the ancient peaks with a local wine in hand, guests will be given a true taste of the area. The Porongurup Promotion Association’s festival is one of the longest running food and wine events in the Great Southern. This year, it will be held at Jingalla Wines. Co-ordinator Karen Woltering said while Porongurup was smaller than many food and wine regions, it had plenty to offer. “The wines from Porongurup are highly regarded — its unique geography creates the ideal growing conditions for many grape varieties,” she said. “With many vineyards on well-draining, north-facing slopes with warm days and cool nights, they are particularly well suited to the early ripening varieties like riesling and pinot noir. “At either end of the Porongurups are slightly warmer sites which do well with later ripening reds like shiraz and cabernet sauvignon.” Six local wine producers and the Great Southern Distillery will have stands at the festival. Coupled with the biodiversity and natural beauty of the national park, the event attracted people from across the State, Ms Woltering said. Food trucks, live music, a bouncy castle and markets will round out the program for a family day out. The Porongurup Festival will be held from 11am to 5pm on Sunday, February 28. For tickets, visit the Porongurup Festival Facebook page.