South Australia is known all over the world for it's wine regions. While sampling a bottle or two might help you find your favourite variety, you can't really experience a region until you've spent a few days immersing yourself in everything on offer.
Do you have a favourite wine region escape? Take a look at some of SA's wine regions, and let us know where in we'll find your favourite.
The Barossa
Even without wineries,
the Barossa would be a lovely place to visit. Charming towns dot the region, and you'll find great local produce, small bakeries, and communities that love to share the great food and wine of the region.
The Barossa is home to some of the biggest wineries, like
Wolf Blass and
Jacob's Creek. Their large visitor centres can be a good first point for people new to the region, but at the same time often lack the charm of some of the smaller wineries. Check
Gibson Wines or
Tscharke's Place for some interesting cellar doors.
On top of wine tasting, when you're in the Barossa it's good to get along to
Maggie Beer's The Farm, have a fine meal at
Appellation at the Louise, or experience the Barossa's community spirit at
the Breakfast Rave.
The Adelaide Hills
The Adelaide Hills has a cooler climates, which influences the wines produces in this region. It's also one of the closest regions to Adelaide CBD, which means it's an easy wine region to visit anytime.
Some wineries to check out are
Barrister's Block & Poetic Justice Premium Wines,
Bird In Hand, and
Tilbrook Estate. While you're in the region check out delicious cheeses from Woodside Cheese Wrights, or go fresh strawberry picking at Beerenberg.
You can find some great cellar door experiences up here, amongst the beautiful Adelaide Hills' scenery. Indulge with the
ChocoVino Experience chocolate and wine tasting at
Hahndorf Hill Winery, or check out some of the smaller boutique wineries like
Vinteloper Wines.
The Clare Valley
This is the home of Riesling, so even if you're not a white drinker make sure you try some while you're in the
Clare Valley. The Clare Valley's history goes back to the 1840s, and many of the wineries also have a rich story to tell.
Make sure you grab a drop at
Pike Wines or
Jim Barry Wines, or pick up a muscat from
Crabtree Watervale.
Come down to the Clare Valley for A Day on the Green at
Annie's Lane. It's a great spot to taste some wines and visit the wine museum, but during
A Day on the Green the vineyard really comes alive with music, community, and wine.
McLaren Vale
The McLaren Vale region is characterised by the combination of
sea and vines, which is also the name of the region's main wine festival, and often when in McLaren Vale you'll branch out to the wider Fleurieu Peninsula.
You'll find great wineries with a more recent history, like
Penny's Hill or
Wirra Wirra, or
Kay Brothers who date their winery's history back to the 1890s. For some interesting cellar doors, go to
Samuel's Gorge or
Alpha Box and Dice.
You'll find so many wineries here within such a short distance of each other, and it's an easy trip to take from Adelaide.
But that's far from it when it comes to South Australian wine regions, including the
Coonawarra and the
Riverland. So let us know your favourite wine region, and all the reasons that make it stand out.
