The Essential Guide to Adelaide’s Wineries

South Australia is home to some of Australia’s very best wine growing regions, and many of them are just a short drive from Adelaide.

A wine tour out of Adelaide will transport you from the busy capital city to the scenic rolling hills of South Australia’s vineyards where you can discover quality wine and gourmet dining.

If you’re looking to visit wineries on your trip to Adelaide, we’ve got you sorted with the must-see cellar doors across the wine regions of South Australia.

The Adelaide Hills are conveniently located a short drive from the centre of Adelaide. This wine region is renowned for producing exceptional cool climate wines.  

When you visit the Adelaide Hills you’ll have more than 50 cellar doors to choose from where you can experience wine tastings, vineyard tours, and fine dining.

While in the region, be sure to sample the sauvignon blanc and chardonnay, as well as the excellent cool-climate red wines including shiraz and pinot noir. If you enjoy bubbles, the sparkling wine produced in the Adelaide Hills is superb.

Here are a few Adelaide Hills wineries to put on your wine tour itinerary:  

Penfolds

On your way out of Adelaide CBD and up into the Adelaide Hills, don’t miss a visit to Penfolds’ Magill Estate.  On the outskirts of Adelaide, Magill Estate is the home of Penfolds, one of Australia’s biggest names in winemaking. Established on this site in 1844, Penfolds is an integral part of Australia’s winemaking history and continues to build on that legacy today.  

During your visit you can discover the story of Penfolds Grange, the world-renowned red that has become a benchmark for all Australian red wines. A bottle of Grange is a prized possession for any wine collector. Book a tour and tasting to learn about the history of the estate and to experience Penfolds’ wine for yourself.

Shaw + Smith

At Shaw + Smith, every wine is made onsite from beginning to end, from fermentation right through to bottling. While each varietal in the Shaw + Smith repertoire is worth a place in your wine rack, the real hero is their Sauvignon Blanc. It’s aromatic, fresh, and lively with  a mid-palate texture.  

If a cheese and wine pairing sounds like the perfect combination, don’t miss a visit to the tasting room where you can savour the winery’s best drops with a wine flight, accompanied by a selection of cheese.

Bird in Hand

Sustainability is central to the winemaking philosophy at Bird in Hand. This family-owned winery produces a range of red, white, and sparkling varietals – don't miss the award-winning chardonnay.

Leave time to dine at LVN Restaurant and it will be a highlight of your visit. The space focuses on serving up exquisite food, music, design, and art – all to complement the fine wine. Dining here is a one-of-a-kind experience that promises a farm-to-table style offering, with seasonal dishes served in an intimate environment.  

The Lane Vineyard

When it comes to The Lane, we’re not sure what’s more impressive: the wine or the views. This Adelaide Hills winery produces premium cool-climate wines and delivers a cellar door experience with panoramic views of the region.

If you’re visiting over the weekend, be sure to stop into The Terrace where you can pair your wine flight with seasonal share plates while taking in the unparalleled views over the vineyards.

The Barossa Valley is known for its big, bold shiraz and is home to some of Australia’s most-loved winemakers. At just an hour’s drive from central Adelaide, this internationally renowned region has plenty to offer on a day trip out of the city.

There are more than 90 cellar doors in the Barossa Valley, and we’ve got you sorted with a few recommendations to get started.

Seppeltsfield Estate   

Established in 1851, Seppeltsfield Estate is a mainstay in the Barossa Valley region and an essential stop on any day trip to the Barossa Valley. As you drive towards Seppeltsfield, you’ll find yourself on the scenic Avenue of Palms.  

At the cellar door you can book a tasting to experience the award-winning wines for yourself. A unique experience awaits at Seppeltsfield where you can book a premium tasting of a 100 year old vintage tawny that in 2023 earned the rare acclaim of scoring 100 points in the Halliday Wine Companion.  

St Hugo

St Hugo launched its first vintage in 1980 but was born out of the long legacy of winemaking dating back to the establishment of Gramp & Sons in 1847. Today, St Hugo is known for producing premium wine from its Barossa Valley vineyard.

When you visit the cellar door you can enjoy a wine tasting in the St Hugo Wine Lounge and dine in the AGFG 2-hatted restaurant where seasonal and local produce complements the wine, making for a memorable dining experience.

St Hallet

St Hallett is best known for its Old Block Shiraz. Whether you prefer to drink a glass among the sweeping views of the vineyards or visit the cellar door, expect an unforgettable wine experience when you visit St Hallett.  

From early on in St Hallett's history, its winemakers aspired to create honest reds that were full, rich, and robust. And that’s just what they did with the Old Block Shiraz. This elegant, flavoursome red showcases the Barossa Valley at its finest.  

We'd warn you that this Barossa icon can set you back a pretty penny, but most people who taste the Old Block fall head over heels and can't resist a bottle to take home. If you want to understand why the Barossa is world famous for its shiraz, come and see what the team at St Hallet are doing.

Where to Stay in the Barossa Valley

With so much to explore in the Barossa Valley, you might be tempted to turn your Adelaide day trip into an overnight or weekend long excursion. Novotel Barossa Valley Resort is the perfect base from which to explore the region.

From big bold reds to category defining rieslings, the Clare Valley is the place to be if you want to experience excellent riesling.  

You’ve got more than 50 cellar doors to explore when you visit the Clare Valley. Located about two hours from Adelaide, the South Australian is a must-visit for those who love a crisp white wine. 

Kilikanoon 

This Halliday 5 Red Star rated winery is an essential stop on your Clare Valley wine region itinerary.

The Kilikanoon cellar door is in 1860s farmhouse and when you visit you can experience the award-winning wines when you book a wine tasting experience.  

Knappstein 

Knappstein has been producing premium Clare Valley wines since it was established in 1974. A highlight at Knappstein is the single vineyard riesling, shiraz, and cabernet sauvignon. 

There are a number of wine tasting experiences to choose from when you visit the Knappstein cellar door, including a riesling flight which showcasing the diversity of the varietal that the Clare Valley is renowned for. 

The Coonawarra is a bit further afield if you’re coming from Adelaide, at around four hour’s drive from the city. But if you enjoy cabernet sauvignon, the Coonawarra is an essential stop on your South Australian wine journey.

While this region is small, it packs a punch when it comes to premium red wine. Here you’ll find plenty of experiences and variety among the 25 cellar doors.

Wynns Coonawarra Estate

This Coonawarra winery has some serious history. The first vineyards were planted in 1891, and to this day, Wynns Coonawarra Estate produces wines that demonstrate the quality of the Coonawarra region.

Wynns produces annual collections of red and white wines and when you visit the cellar door there are a number of wine tasting experiences to choose from.  

Brand’s Laira

This iconic Australian winery is home to vines dating back to 1893, producing wines that demonstrate the depth of experience of this long-established Coonawarra brand.

One of the more recently established Brand’s Laira vineyards, Station Vineyard, was planted behind the old Coonawarra Station building that might be as famous as the wines the region is known for.

The Brand’s Laira cellar door is expansive and modern with floor to ceiling windows so you can look out over the vines as you enjoy your wine tasting.

The Eden Valley is a scenic cool-climate wine region known for its shiraz and reisling.  You’ll find the Eden Valley about an hour’s drive out of Adelaide.  

Henschke

This is one of Australia’s oldest family-owned wineries, established in 1868. The Henschke family is one of Australia’s First Families of Wine, and have been producing award-winning wine for generations.  

What that means for you? A truly world-class wine-tasting experience. The Eden Valley cellar door is located in the 1950s woolstore building and makes for the perfect setting for an intimate wine tasting experience.  

The McLaren Vale wine region is less than an hour from central Adelaide making it an ideal location for a winery day tour when holidaying in the South Australian capital.

With more than 80 cellar doors, plus plenty of dining, McLaren Vale has lots to explore. The hop on hop off bus with pick up and drop off in Adelaide CBD is a great way to experience your pick of McLaren Vale’s wineries.

When you visit McLaren Vale be sure to try the shiraz and grenache. Need a few ideas to start planning your McLaren Vale wine tour? Here’s a few of McLaren Vale’s best wineries.

Alpha Box & Dice

Alpha Box & Dice produces wines with grapes sourced from across South Australian meaning you’re in for a treat with the diversity of styles and flavours on offer. The team here has a unique mission to produce a wine for each letter of the alphabet – the Alphabet of Wine.  

Even before you sample the wine for yourself you’ll be tempted by the unique range of labels that make this wine perfect for gifting.

Taste a sample of the alphabet at the heritage-listed barn that is the Alpha Box & Dice cellar door. Better yet, bring your mates, buy a bottle and a platter to share and find a spot to picnic under the shade on the grass alongside the cellar door. 

Hugh Hamilton Wines

Stairs lead you up to the Hugh Hamilton Wines cellar door, perched above the vines and boasting floor to ceiling windows so you can enjoy the view. Dubbed ‘home of the black sheep’, don’t miss your photo op with the black sheep on your approach to the cellar door.

Here you’ll enjoy seriously good wine that doesn’t take itself too seriously, with wines including ‘The Rascal’ shiraz, ‘The Scallywag’ chardonnay, and ‘The Scoundrel’ GSM.  

d’Arenberg

No visit to McLaren Vale is complete without stopping into d’Arenberg. This family-owned winery opened all the way back in 1912, meaning the Osborn family know a thing or two about creating excellent vino.  

With giant bronze fingers poking out of the soil, unusual naming and labelling conventions and eccentric menu options, d’Arenberg certainly stands out from the crowd.  

Even the cellar door flaunts a 5-story glass, concrete and steel structure mimicking a Rubik’s Cube. See a view from the top when you visit the tasting room, which offers panoramic views of the region.

If you’ve been on the hunt for the best wineries that are stylish with an air of tongue-in-cheek, this one is worth a peek and more.