Australia, New Zealand & the South Pacific - Wineries near Adelaide

My GF and I have one day to spend wine tasting near ADL on our upcoming trip (burning AS miles on BA) to Oz. Wish we had longer... wish we had longer for the whole trip.

Anyway, I found an older thread - from someone who had more time - listing the following:

Clare Valley: (www.clarevalley.com.au)
Leasingham
Jim Barry
Petaluma
Sevenhill
Skillogalee (great restaurant)
Mitchell
Taylors (had St Andrews Shiraz from Taylors in F on CX ’99 vintage – mighty nice)
Annie’s Lane
Mount Horrocks
Tim Adams

Barossa Valley: (www.Barossa-region.org)
Bethany Wines
Burge Family Winemakers
Hamilton’s Ewell Vineyards
Henschke
Penfolds
Peter Lehmann
Saltram
Seppelt

I think we're leaning toward the Clare Valley, because we both prefer reds... except that dry rieslings are our favorite whites, and Clare seems to have a good variety. But, we're open to persuasion.

We also tend to prefer the small, casual winery visit experience (eg. more typical of Eastern Washington, side roads in Sonoma, Healdsburg) to the larger, more polished tasting room & gift shop scene.

Which four to six total of the list above - or, what other wineries not on the list - would you recommend for our one day, and why?

And, bonus question: is there a particular wine shop in Sydney you'd recommend for us to visit on our way home?

Edited to add: I should clarify that we're driving one way from Alice to Adelaide to hit sights along the way - the wine tasting day is the last day of that trek.

First issue is you left out McClaren Vale (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McLaren_Vale) / McClaren Vale guide (http://www.mclarenvale.info/wsfiles/McLaren_Vale_Visitors_Guide_2007.pdf).

Some great wineries in all the regions. Mrs. tt7 is a long-time friend of the chef at Coriole (http://www.coriole.com/) (McClaren Vale) and we went there a couple of months ago when we were in Adelaide; over the years, she's mentioned the restaurant at Skillogalee (http://www.skillogalee.com.au/our_restaurant) many times, though I've never been. If you go to the Barossa, they have some of the high-end places - if you get to Henschke (http://www.henschke.com.au/), see if they have some Hill of Grace (http://www.henschke.com.au/vineyards/hillofgrace/) you can take home with you (though you may need to arrange the mortgage before you go.... :) ) - if they don't, their Sydney distributor appears to have the 2004 and 2005 (http://www.finewinepartners.com.au/Product.aspx?ProductID=343).

I don't have enough personal knowledge of the wineries to be able to suggest which would be the best area/wineries but hopefully someone around here does. In any event - enjoy!

In order of distance from ADL, McLaren Vale is closest (~45 mins?), then Barossa, then Clare (~2 hrs? - maybe more?).

If you go to McLaren Vale, do go to Samuels Gorge - they make 3 reds and they're all great -Tempranillo, Grenache and Shiraz. Piramimma is also good, as is Hugo (for Shiraz) and plenty of others. Barossa is also fine. M Vale reds tend to be fairly big like Barossa reds. Haven't been to Clare but like a lot of wines that come from there.

Whichever you choose will have good wines, but there's a bit of difference re distance from ADL (though all are day trippable), which may influence your choice.

I think we're leaning toward the Clare Valley, because we both prefer reds... except that dry rieslings are our favorite whites, and Clare seems to have a good variety. But, we're open to persuasion.

We also tend to prefer the small, casual winery visit experience (eg. more typical of Eastern Washington, side roads in Sonoma, Healdsburg) to the larger, more polished tasting room & gift shop scene.

Which four to six total of the list above - or, what other wineries not on the list - would you recommend for our one day, and why?



If you only have one day, I wouldn't recommend Clare Valley as it's a bit far from Adelaide. If you prefer reds, I'd recommend going to either Barossa Valley or McClaren Vale.

Please note that from your list, Petaluma's wine cellar is actually in Adelaide Hills (Bridgewater Mill) which also has one of the best restaurants. Remember to book in advance for that place.

Also, Seppelt is in Great Western, Victoria. However, it is also an excellent winery that makes very good Shiraz and Riesling.

If you choose to go to Barossa, please note that the wineries are not very close to each other (unlike Margaret River and Coonawarra) so don't be too ambitious in trying to visit many wineries in a day.

For one day in Barossa, I'd recommend the following wineries:

Peter Lehmann - very generous winery that lets you sample pretty much their full range (recommend the Mentor Cab Sauv and Margaret Semillon)
Burge Family - you must try the Draycott Shiraz (excellent quality for the price)
Henshchke
Penfolds - a little bit pricey due to it's brand image
Jacob's Creek
Wolf Blass (if you still have time)
(I'd skip Yalumba even though they make some excellent wines as they don't offer their better wines to sample.)

Happy guzzling :D

Thanks for the tips so far!

I should clarify that we're driving one way from Alice to Adelaide to hit sights along the way - the wine tasting day is the last day of that trek.

So, we're not worried about distance day tripping out of Adelaide - and since McLaren Vale is (slightly) south of Adelaide, we figured we'd skip there for this trip.

Hopefully you've boned up on the driving conditions (don't drive at dawn/dusk due to the risk of hitting kangaroos), rent a properly equipped car, be aware that 100km/h is the minimum speed and you'll be passed by huge road trains, not plan to go off-road (unless you know what you are doing) and read this (or equivalent): http://www.smh.com.au/news/northern-territory/adventuring-to-the-red-zone/2005/07/16/1121455935873.html

The part about the flies is seasonal, but the dust will coat you, your luggage and any unsealed clothes as well as the interior of the car. Part of the adventure.

It sounds like you are planning to do the wine tasting as part of the drive from Alice to Adelaide, which is a really bad idea. Either you are wasting a day by stopping before reaching Adelaide and then going in the morning to the wineries; or you are arriving in the afternoon after a long drive, and will be wasted and not savour the fine wines. Plus your body reacts poorly to alcohol, so driving skill after the wineries is a problem. Also police know where to set up the alcohol enforcement checkpoints (not sure how common that is by Adelaide, but MEL/SYD certainly have stricter enforcement than in the US). I would really suggest you drive through to ADL, rest up and do the winery tours the next day. Or stay overnight near the wineries (best to book that ahead of time, though).

We do like the big Aussie reds and I will second the recommendations of the McLaren Vale and the Barossa.

I would add the small Langmeil winery to Star1997's Barossa compilation. If you do choose to go to the Barossa, try to make a stop there before you go to the big industrial places but make sure that you manage to get a taste of "The Freedom" which comes from the old vines (and in Oz, old vines means 150 years old).

With luck, you might be able to get someone there to walk you out to the vineyard to see those ancients. It is a small patch, maybe as much as a couple of acres, but it is close to the main tasting room. You would have much more trouble doing that in one of the bigger places.

There are some others but this one is probably a bit more accessible than some of the other small producers.

Next month for us is the Hunter Valley. :)

We do like the big Aussie reds and I will second the recommendations of the McLaren Vale and the Barossa.

I would add the small Langmeil winery to Star1997's Barossa compilation. If you do choose to go to the Barossa, try to make a stop there before you go to the big industrial places but make sure that you manage to get a taste of "The Freedom" which comes from the old vines (and in Oz, old vines means 150 years old).

With luck, you might be able to get someone there to walk you out to the vineyard to see those ancients. It is a small patch, maybe as much as a couple of acres, but it is close to the main tasting room. You would have much more trouble doing that in one of the bigger places.

There are some others but this one is probably a bit more accessible than some of the other small producers.

Next month for us is the Hunter Valley. :)

I totally agree with the old vines shiraz in Barossa. These are some of the oldest vines in the world. Barossa was not affected by Phylloxera that affected many parts of Europe.

I wasn't aware that Langmeil allowed you to sample their Freedom range as it is such a super premium shiraz. Such a shame. I should have talked to you before my last trip to Barossa :D Maybe my next trip ;)

If you can sample the Langmeil Freedom at their winery, then this winery definitely needs to be at the top of the Barossa list :)

Wanted to thank everyone for the good advice. I'm at the BA LHR T5 lounge on the way back.

Our day-plus of tasting around Clare went well. We got in to Clare from our last stop, north of Port Augusta on the Stuart Highway, in time for a late-afternoon visit to Paulett that day.

The next day, we got an early start, and visited Jim Barry, Leasingham, Tim Adams, Skillogalee, Penna Lane (our lunch and wine-dog-petting stop, as Skillogalee's restaurant was booked up for Sunday lunch), Kilikanoon, Taylors, and Mount Horrocks. One per hour... believe it or not, we never felt rushed... YMMV. And, being the late fall, nowhere (except that restaurant) was crowded.

I got a chance to try wines from elsewhere in Oz at other points during our trip. Looking forward to going back.

And, bonus question: is there a particular wine shop in Sydney you'd recommend for us to visit on our way home?
.

I've found some really good stuff across a variety of price ranges @ Australian Wine Centre on Albert st (Circular Quay). Really helpful staff, great selection of Oz wines that you won't find in the states.

I've been asked by the better half to find more of the Krinklewood Shiraz I brought back from there last time and to ship a case home when I'm there next.

Edit: Whoops - just noticed you're headed home...next time, then!

There are some others but this one is probably a bit more accessible than some of the other small producers.

Next month for us is the Hunter Valley. :)


Let me know if you want some tips.

Great thread to start. Love big reds and planning to spend 3-4 days in Adelaide in August. Barossa and McClaren are at the top of our list. Any recommendations on where to stay (hotels or B&Bs)?

This is a great thread.
BiziBBs plan to be there early August, too.

I am thinking about staying the first night (Friday) at the Adelaide Hilton; but I'd also be interested in opinions and recommendations for itineraries and accommodation for the Saturday and Sunday.

It would be great if we could arrange to visit and sample high-end, famous reds.

www.southaustralia.com is a good place to begin research; there's a 'free night' offer plus a Barossa car/novotel Barossa package at a slight discount: http://www.southaustralia.com/TravelOffersBarossa.aspx (3d/2n from $455 p.p, save $55):
3 day car hire ex Adelaide, standard economy vehicle
2 nights studio room, Novotel Barossa Valley Resort
Fully cooked breakfast daily
Dinner voucher to the value of $100.00 at in-house restaurant
Two persons on Penfolds 'Make your own Blend' tour
Cellar Door Pass (1 per couple)

[That link also has a 'book 3, pay 2' accommodation offer but with seemingly inflated prices].

FYI, check the events link (http://www.southaustralia.com/Events.aspx):

Royal Adelaide Show 4-12 Sept (http://www.southaustralia.com/5780.aspx)
2009 Barossa Vintage Festival (http://www.barossavintagefestival.com.au/) (oh well, missed that one!)
Coonawarra Cellar Dwellers (http://www.southaustralia.com/4991.aspx)(July) [link] (http://www.coonawarra.org/)
Ultimate Blokes Expo (http://www.southaustralia.com/5991.aspx):p

This is a great thread.
BiziBBs plan to be there early August, too.

I am thinking about staying the first night (Friday) at the Adelaide Hilton; but I'd also be interested in opinions and recommendations for itineraries and accommodation for the Saturday and Sunday.

It would be great if we could arrange to visit and sample high-end, famous reds.

www.southaustralia.com is a good place to begin research; there's a 'free night' offer plus a Barossa car/novotel Barossa package at a slight discount:

[That link also has a 'book 3, pay 2' accommodation offer but with seemingly inflated prices].

FYI, check the events link (http://www.southaustralia.com/Events.aspx):

Royal Adelaide Show 4-12 Sept (http://www.southaustralia.com/5780.aspx)
2009 Barossa Vintage Festival (http://www.barossavintagefestival.com.au/) (oh well, missed that one!)
Coonawarra Cellar Dwellers (http://www.southaustralia.com/4991.aspx)(July) [link] (http://www.coonawarra.org/)
Ultimate Blokes Expo (http://www.southaustralia.com/5991.aspx):p


If you are not arriving too late and don't mind going slightly outside Adelaide, how about staying in the German village Hahndorf in the Adelaide Hills? In my last trip to Adelaide, I stayed in a very nice, new spa room called The Manna (http://www.themanna.com.au/)

That's very close to Bridgewater Mill, an excellent restaurant. Of course, if you are there, you should try the Petaluma Coonawarra and Petaluma Chardonnay ;).