5 DAYS 4 NIGHTS pemberton:
BENEATH THE SURFACE

Day 1: Arrive in Pemberton
Make your way down to the wintry magic of Pemberton. You’ll know when you’ve reached your destination, as the winding roads snake through towering Karri trees and lush rolling paddocks. Mother Nature is green and abundant in the full flush of winter. Arrive at Stonebarn Lodge, your luxury abode for the next four nights, set amidst one of Pemberton’s most picturesque truffle forests. After settling into your suite over the course of the afternoon, join your hosts and fellow guests for a welcome cocktail and some pre-dinner bites starring the local produce of this food bowl of the South West. Later, we’ll be joined by our private chef Mel Kokoti, who will be treating us to a decadent two-course winter feast. With an Australian Good Food Guide hat and placed in the WA top 50 three years running, she’ll carefully curate each dish to highlight the wine you’ll be exploring over the entirety of your stay.

Accommodation: Pemberton’s private truffle estate

Day 2: Pemberton
Wake up to the mesmerising view of mist rolling over ancient forests and the beautiful gardens of Stonebarn Lodge. A hearty breakfast awaits, before we rug up and get ready to immerse ourselves in the world of truffles. Join Dion Rangé, owner and founder of the Stonebarn truffiere, one of the first private truffle growers in Pemberton. You’ll meet his three adorable truffle dogs and be taken on a private truffle hunt, uncovering the secrets of these incredible funghi that grace the menus of Michelin-starred restaurants around the world.

How does a truffle grower enjoy truffle? “The value of the truffle is largely the aroma. Don’t cook a truffle or you’ll kill that aroma. I can’t go past shaving it on perfectly scrambled eggs.” After a morning unearthing truffles, we’ll enjoy truffled eggs with home-baked bread and some carefully paired wines to compliment the umami essence of the truffle.

After lunch it’s on to continue our wine journey with one of the region’s influential wine families. Join either Picardy’s owner and winemaker Dan Pannell in the winery discussing various clone impacts in Pemberton Pinot winemaking, or the Radomiljac family in the picturesque and significant vineyards of Pemberley of Pemberton.

The name Picardy is synonymous with Pinot Noir in Western Australia, and the Pannell family has left a lasting legacy on the Australian wine industry. Not normally open to the public, this is a rare behind-the-scenes opportunity to meet the maker. The Radomiljac family established the Pemberley farm back in the 70s and have been growing grapes since 1995 for some of the state’s most prestigious names, as well as their own wine label.

This evening it’s time to indulge in a wintry three-course meal back in the comfort of Stonebarn Lodge. We’ll be continuing our Pinot journey with local and international wine pairings, and perhaps a special appearance from a local wine identity or two.

Accommodation: Pemberton’s private truffle estate

Day 3: Pemberton
Wake up to another day of seasonal beauty at Stonebarn Lodge. After a warming cooked breakfast overlooking the truffle forest, it’s time to enjoy some sweet temptation at the Pemberton Honey Company. Mikey Cernotta and his family purchased their idyllic property several years ago, and he’s been passionately building his honey business and preserving the local forests ever since.

According to Mikey, there truly is nothing that speaks of terroir as much as honey does, and he’ll take you through the range of single site honey varieties that he produces. Mikey will take us through the process of producing his single origin honey, from flower to jar. It’s a year-round endeavour, and there is a huge amount of work that goes into keeping the hives happy and the bees healthy.

Yes, even bees need to watch what they eat! You may even have the opportunity to put your newfound knowledge to the test, with the chance to get your fingers sticky during a tour of the extracting plant.

After learning about all things honey, enjoy morning tea and roll up your sleeves for some hands-on action with the major byproduct from honey. Beeswax has numerous applications and today we’ll be learn about the art of candle making with Mikey’s wife Alexa, who runs her own soap and candle business alongside managing their accommodation on site.

It’s back to Stonebarn for a relaxed and rustic farmhouse style lunch with paired wines, before we continue with the afternoon’s activies under the watchful eye of Chef Mel and a very special guest. From sweet delights back to earthy indulgence, keep those sleeves rolled up, as this afternoon we are getting busy in the kitchen with Masterchef star and Pemberton local Samira Damirova. You’ll be guided through the art of bread making and Azerbaijan pastries. Feel free to continue with the lunchtime wine if it helps with the culinary creative inspiration!

Enjoy the rest of the afternoon at leisure, before joining Cassandra for a Pinot Noir masterclass followed by a decadent wintry feast featuring the likes of Lillian Wines, one of the region’s most highly sought after and interesting producers. a pre-dinner wine tasting and fireside chat. Continue this evening’s wine and truffle journey with three courses and a surprise honey-infused dessert by a local Masterchef finalist.

Accommodation: Pemberton’s private truffle estate

Day 4: Karri Forest
Fuel up with breakfast this morning and lace up those hiking boots, as we’ll be getting out amongst the Karri forests for a real sense of place over the next few hours. You’ll have a chance to work up a sweat on the Pemberton trails, before we settle in for a warming camp lunch at the end of our journey.

The afternoon is yours at leisure back at Stonebarn, before joining Cassandra for a pre-dinner wine trip to some of the other truffle-producing parts of the world. From the foothills of the Italian alps, through the Pemberton wineries just down the road, we’ll travel through the glass, and discuss what makes a great truffle pairing, and why these regions are so renowned for their produce on the plate and in the bottle.

Be sure to dress up for tonight’s gala dinner, a long table four-course culinary experience, continuing our international truffle and wine journey from the pre-dinner tasting. It’s the final meal of our trip together, so time to reflect on the week’s actives and memories that have been made together.

Accommodation: Pemberton’s private truffle estate

Day 5: Depart Pemberton
After one last relaxing breakfast in the peaceful surrounds at Stonebarn Lodge, it’s time to say goodbye (for now). Enjoy the morning in Pemberton before a special farewell from your hosts.