South Australia is indisputably Australia’s wine state. It has 18 wonderful wine regions and 80% of Australia’s premium wine comes from this state. Adelaide, the capital city of the state, is home to the National Wine Centre. It is an ideal destination for wine lovers. Within an hour’s drive of the city are 200 cellar doors. How does breakfast in McLaren Vale, lunch in the Adelaide Hills and dinner in the Barossa sound? Tell the designated driver to start the engine, here are some of the best wineries near Adelaide.
The 7 Best Wineries Near Adelaide
1. Penfolds
The Penfolds Magill Estate is one of several wineries owned by Penfolds. Just 8km from the CBD it is one of the nearest wineries to Adelaide. Penfolds is one of Australia’s best-known wine brands. You can enjoy the wonderful wine range in the estate’s restaurant where experts will perfectly pair the vino with the food. You can also head to the cellar door for a tasting or to purchase a few bottles from the impressive selection. This winery is a great option for those without a car as you could walk to the Magill Estate or take public transport.
2. Jacob’s Creek
At this well-known winery, you can sign up for cooking classes where you’ll use produce picked straight from the Kitchen Garden. You can then enjoy the spoils of your labour with wine pairings from the Jacob’s Creek range. If that all sounds like too much hard work, you can dine in the restaurant and sip selected wine pairings. Tastings also take place in the cellar door or you could just relax with a glass of wine and take in the magnificent views over the vineyards. Jacob’s Creek is located in the heart of the Barossa Valley about an hour from Adelaide.
3. Bird in Hand
Bird in Hand is a family-owned winery cultivating cool-climate artisan wines. Just 40 minutes from Adelaide, Bird in Hand is a very peaceful place with sustainability and community at its heart. Come for the wine, stay for the art and heart. Bird in Hand adorns its grounds with original works by carefully selected artists. Enjoy a flight of wine with a meal surrounded by paintings in the Gallery Restaurant. Learn more about the winemaking process and sample the range at a tasting in the cellar door. When you are stocking up in the shop, be sure to pick up the Nero D’Avola in a special bottle created by Australian fashion designer Dion Lee.
4. Yalumba
Just over an hour’s drive away from Adelaide is beautiful Yalumba, Australia’s oldest family winery. But that’s not its only claim to fame, it is also one of just a handful of wineries in the world to have its own barrel-making cooperage. This Barossa Valley winery has lovely views and when you visit you can enjoy tours, tastings and wine masterclasses.
5. Charles Melton Wines
Within an hour of leaving Adelaide, you could be sitting on the lawn alongside old bush vines enjoying spectacular views of the Barossa Ranges whilst sipping seriously good wine. The soil of the Barossa Valley wine region is expressed in the red wines produced at Charles Melton Wines. The structured tasting experiences at the cellar door is a wonderful introduction to the wines of the region and you’ll get to try some fabulous fine wines.
6. Wirra Wirra Vineyards
Wirra Wirra Vineyards is located in McLaren Vale a mere 40 minutes from Adelaide. Is it known for producing intense McLaren Vale red wines and elegant Adelaide Hills white wines. When it comes to winemaking at Wirra Wirra the philosophy is to ‘let the fruit shine’. You can try these expressive wines for yourself at a cellar door tasting or you can order a regional food platter from the on-site deli accompanied by a selection of Wirra Wirra wines. This can be enjoyed whilst soaking up the views of the gardens and biodynamically farmed vineyards.
7. Ashton Hills Vineyard
Just 17km from the centre of Adelaide, you can leave the car at home and use public transport to reach the Ashton Hills Vineyard. Lovers of cool-climate pinot noir and riesling will be happy out here and so too will those who love sparkling wine (the Clare Valley Sparkling Shiraz is gorgeous). This Adelaide Hills winery has a scenic backdrop with views over the Piccadilly Valley. It is a lovely place to spend a few hours enjoying tastings and tours and learning more about the vineyards and wines of the Piccadilly Valley.
