Brookland Valley: Chocolate & Wine Tasting for 2

The clever part of this $20-per-person tasting is its focus: five Margaret River reds, each matched with a chocolate made for that wine. This is not simply wine on one plate and chocolate on another. Temper Temper created specific combinations, including Tempranillo with white chocolate, apricot, black sesame, and sea salt.

I like the relaxed cellar-door setting and the useful guidance for anyone still finding their way around red wine. I also like the price, which gives couples a low-cost way to try five wines and five bespoke chocolates. The main consideration is that the experience is built around red wine, so it may not suit someone seeking whites, sparkling wine, or a broader regional tasting.

Key points at a glance

• Five red wines, five chocolates: Each wine receives its own Temper Temper pairing.
• A thoughtful Tempranillo match: White chocolate, apricot, black sesame, and sea salt create a more unusual partner for the wine.
• A bolder Shiraz pairing: Dark chocolate, toasted coconut, and pink peppercorns are matched with Shiraz.
• Helpful for red-wine beginners: The tasting is guided and explained in English, with a warm, welcoming approach.
• Good value at $20 per person: You taste ten crafted elements without paying for a full meal or a longer tour.
• Best for couples and chocolate fans: The format is intimate in spirit, though the exact group size and duration are not stated.

Five wines, five chocolates, and a clear purpose

Wine and chocolate can be a clumsy match. Both have strong flavors, sweetness, bitterness, and texture. Put the wrong red beside the wrong chocolate and one can flatten the other. This experience works from the other direction: the chocolates were made to suit five particular wines from Brookland Valley and Houghton.

That matters because you are not being asked to guess why a generic chocolate happens to be on the tasting plate. The pairing has a reason behind it. You can compare the wine on its own, taste the chocolate, then try them together and notice what changes.

The wines are premium Margaret River reds. The supplied details do not list all five varieties, so you should not expect a fixed list beyond the pairings identified: Tempranillo and Shiraz. The emphasis is on matching styles, not racing through as many bottles as possible.

For a $20 fee, the format is also refreshingly focused. You receive five wines and five bespoke chocolates, rather than a large meal with the tasting hidden inside the price. That makes it easy to fit into a day of cellar-door visits, though anyone wanting a full food experience will need to plan another meal separately.

Starting with Tempranillo and a surprising sweet note

The Tempranillo pairing is the sort of combination that gives the tasting its character. The wine is matched with white chocolate, apricot, black sesame, and sea salt. That is a more layered chocolate than the plain milk-square approach often used in casual tastings.

White chocolate brings sweetness and creaminess. Apricot adds a fruit note, while black sesame supplies a darker, toasted edge. Sea salt helps keep the pairing from becoming one-dimensional. You may find that the chocolate changes how you notice the fruit and texture in the Tempranillo.

This is also a useful lesson if you normally assume red wine requires dark chocolate. Not every red wants a heavy, bitter partner. A red with a particular fruit profile can work with a lighter chocolate when the extra ingredients give it enough contrast.

I would pay attention to the order in which you taste these elements. Try the wine first, then the chocolate, then both together. You might find that one flavor becomes softer while another becomes more noticeable. That simple comparison is where the educational value lies.

Shiraz meets dark chocolate, coconut, and pepper

The Shiraz pairing takes a darker route. It combines the wine with dark chocolate, toasted coconut, and pink peppercorns. The ingredients point toward a fuller, more assertive match than the Tempranillo combination.

Dark chocolate brings bitterness and depth. Toasted coconut adds a roasted character, while pink peppercorns give the bite a gentle aromatic lift. With Shiraz, the aim seems to be balance rather than sweetness alone.

This pairing will likely appeal to people who already enjoy dark chocolate. If you prefer very sweet chocolate, the darker profile may feel more serious. That is not a flaw, but it is one reason the tasting works best when you approach it as a comparison rather than expecting every chocolate to be a personal favorite.

The peppercorn detail also makes this more interesting than a standard wine-and-chocolate sample. It reminds you that matching wine is not only about sweetness. Spice, toast, salt, fruit, and texture all have a role.

A useful choice for people who do not usually drink reds

The strongest practical reason to book this experience is that you do not need to arrive as a red-wine expert. The tasting is guided, and the staff are described as informative, helpful, warm, and welcoming. One person who was not a major red-wine drinker found the format especially suitable because the explanations made the tasting approachable.

That is important in a cellar door. A formal tasting can feel awkward when you do not know what to ask or how to describe what you are tasting. Here, the chocolate gives you a familiar reference point. You can talk about fruit, bitterness, salt, spice, or sweetness without needing a large wine vocabulary.

I would use the host as your guide rather than trying to sound informed. Ask why a particular chocolate was chosen, what changes when you taste the wine and chocolate together, and which wine has the strongest character. The published details do not provide the host’s name, but the experience is conducted in English.

The educational side should remain light. This is not presented as an advanced wine course. You get a guided look at five pairings in a relaxed environment, which is enough to learn something without turning a date into homework.

The cellar door setting keeps the pace easy

The tasting takes place at the Houghton and Brookland Valley cellar door in Western Australia’s Margaret River region. The setting is described as relaxed, with lovely staff and a calm atmosphere. That makes the experience a natural choice for a couple looking for a small shared activity rather than a long organized excursion.

There is no transport component listed, and no pickup service is described. Plan to make your own way to the cellar door. Since alcohol is involved, arrange your transport responsibly and avoid treating this as a self-drive tasting stop without a plan.

The exact duration and group size are not given. That means you should not build an entire day around a promised timetable. Instead, regard the tasting as one stop within your Margaret River visit. Its limited structure can be an advantage: you get a clear set of pairings without committing to a lengthy tour.

The setting also gives the experience a local connection. Temper Temper is a Margaret River artisan chocolate maker, and the wines come from established Western Australian labels. You are tasting products made for this region and for one another, not simply combining unrelated souvenirs.

What the price includes at $20 per person

At $20 per person, the value is straightforward. You receive a guided tasting of five premium Margaret River red wines and five premium bespoke chocolates. That works out to five wine and chocolate comparisons for the cost of a modest snack or drink stop.

The value is strongest for two kinds of visitors. First, it suits a couple who wants a shared experience with a clear theme. Second, it suits anyone curious about wine pairing but unwilling to spend heavily on a formal class.

The price does not appear to include a meal, transport, or additional wine purchases. Those are not listed, so budget for them separately. You also should not assume that the tasting includes white wines, sparkling wine, dessert wine, or a cheese plate. The stated offering is five red wines with five chocolates.

I like that the entry cost is low enough to reduce the risk of disappointment. If you are unsure whether wine-and-chocolate matching is your thing, you are not committing to an expensive half-day activity. If you love it, you can continue exploring the cellar door afterward, subject to what is available there.

Why the chocolate matters as much as the wine

The chocolate is not just a sweet reward between sips. It is the main teaching tool. Each piece brings a different combination of fat, sugar, bitterness, salt, fruit, toast, or spice. Those changes help you see why the same wine can taste different from one bite to the next.

Temper Temper’s role gives the experience a stronger sense of purpose. The chocolates were made specifically for five wines and their styles. That makes the tasting more focused than a generic pairing flight with a single chocolate served throughout.

You may also discover that your favorite match is not the wine you would have chosen on its own. A red wine can seem too dry or forceful until the right chocolate softens it. Another may become too sweet when paired with a particular chocolate. That contrast is useful, even when the result is not your preferred combination.

For couples, this creates an easy conversation. You can compare which pairing works best for you without needing to agree. One person may prefer the Tempranillo with white chocolate and apricot, while the other may choose the Shiraz with dark chocolate and coconut.

Who should book this tasting

I would recommend it to romantic couples, especially those who want a small, low-cost activity with a shared tasting element. The five-pairing structure gives you enough variety to discuss, but it does not sound like a major time commitment.

Chocolate lovers should also find plenty to enjoy. The bespoke pieces are built with more detail than plain squares, and the listed ingredients create clear differences from one pairing to the next.

It is also a sensible pick for red-wine beginners. The staff’s warm and educational approach can make the cellar door less intimidating, and the chocolates give you a simple way to think about the wines.

You may want to skip it if you dislike red wine, do not enjoy chocolate, or are looking for a broad survey of Margaret River wine styles. There are no whites or other wine categories identified in the experience details. The focus is narrow by design.

Booking, flexibility, and practical limits

You can reserve the experience and pay later, which is useful if your Margaret River plans are still shifting. Cancellation is allowed up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. Check the final booking terms before paying, since the available session details are not provided here.

The experience is offered in English. No guide names are supplied, and no exact duration or group size is stated. If those details matter to your schedule, ask the provider before booking rather than assuming the tasting will fit a particular gap.

Because the tasting includes five red wines, pace yourself. The experience is about noticing the matches, not finishing each pour quickly. If you are driving between cellar doors, make a safe transport plan before you arrive.

Should you book Brookland Valley’s wine and chocolate tasting?

Book it if you want a relaxed, guided introduction to wine matching and like the idea of five specially made chocolates rather than a standard tasting plate. The $20 price is fair for five wines and five bespoke pairings, and the welcoming approach should help people who are not confident red-wine drinkers.

Skip it if you want a full meal, a long winery tour, or a tasting built around several wine styles. This is a compact red-wine and chocolate experience, not an all-purpose Margaret River wine day.

For a couple already planning to visit the cellar door, it is an easy addition. You get a clear theme, local chocolate, Margaret River reds, and enough variety to make the stop feel worthwhile without making it expensive.

FAQ

How much does the Brookland Valley chocolate and wine tasting cost?

The experience costs $20 per person.

What does the tasting include?

It includes a guided tasting of five premium Margaret River red wines paired with five premium bespoke chocolates.

Which chocolate is paired with Tempranillo?

Tempranillo is paired with white chocolate, apricot, black sesame, and sea salt.

Which chocolate is paired with Shiraz?

Shiraz is paired with dark chocolate, toasted coconut, and pink peppercorns.

Is the experience suitable for people who are not regular red-wine drinkers?

Yes. The tasting is guided and educational, and the welcoming approach makes it suitable for people who are still becoming familiar with red wine.

What language is the tasting offered in?

The experience is offered in English.

Can I cancel and receive a refund?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. You can also reserve and pay later, allowing more flexibility when planning.