Grape growing and wine production are an escapable presence in South Australia. The state is home to some of Australia's most iconic wine brands, such as Penfolds Grange, Henschke Hill of Grace and Rockford Basket Press Shiraz, but also fosters plenty of young feral winemaking talent – look out for their bold and daring new labels.
Visitors will not have to stray far from the centre of Adelaide to see their first row of vines – the Adelaide Hills, McLaren Vale, Langhorne Creek and Barossa are all nearby. Indeed, it's been estimated that there are 200 cellar doors within a 90-minute radius of Adelaide – even more if you venture further north to the Clare Valley.
Start your viticultural odyssey with a trip to Penfolds Magill Estate, one of the state's oldest plantings and the birthplace of the much-celebrated Grange. Now enclosed by suburbs, this historic estate is just 15 minutes from the city and contains an atmospheric barrel room, winery and administration block dating back to 1844. Dr Penfold's original cottage, The Grange, is still here – as are the vines that he planted.
A short drive from Magill will bring you into the Adelaide Hills proper. Long overshadowed by the Barossa and McLaren Vale, this cool climate wine region is all about sustainable, small scale wine making with some 100 wineries, mostly family owned, spread over several distinct microclimates.
Bird in Hand, Hahndorf Hill Winery, Shaw+Smith and Nepenthe all offer personalised wine tastings and provide a marvellous introduction to the diverse wine styles now being produced in the Adelaide Hills region.
Shaw+Smith is famous for its well-crafted pinots, shiraz, sauvignon blancs and chardonnays, while Bird in Hand has pioneered new Italian varietals such as Arneis, Nero d'Avola and Montepulciano.
Chocolate addicts should book the ChocoVino wine and chocolate tasting experience at Hahndorf Hill Winery, a family-owned estate which grows some delightful Austrian grape varieties, including Gruner Veltliner, Zweigelt and Blaufrankisch.
Those seeking out crisp pinto gris and sauvignon blanc should drop into Nepenthe for a personalized tasting – cheese platters are also available.
Further south near the picturesque township of Macclesfield Longview Vineyard takes advantage of a slightly warmer climate and steep sided slopes to produce a range of well-priced estate wines and a small selection of more exclusive vintages – its Reserva Nebbiolo, W. Wigtail Brut and Kuhl Gruner Veltliner are superb.
Despite its close proximity to the Hills, McLaren Vale with its more maritime climate and lower elevation produces an entirely different style of wine and especially known for its food-friendly reds and its elegant whites.
Many winemakers are now adding "alternative varieties" such as Vermentino, Barbera, Montepulciano, Fiano, Nero d'Avola and Tempranillo to their portfolios.
Celebrated as one of Australia's most visitor-friendly wine regions, McLaren Vale is home to several superstar wineries, including d'Arenberg, Primo Estate, Wirra Wirra Vineyards, Rosemount Estate and Coriole – all of which offer informative wine tastings and cellar door sales.
The region also fosters some of the country's most impressive younger winemaking talent with Samuel's Gorge, SC Pannell Wines and Oliver's Taranga Vineyards being the standout examples.
Samuel's Gorge offers the Vale's most idiosyncratic wine tasting experience, while the multi-award winning SC Pannell has recently opened a swish new tasting space and wooden deck area – tapas is served on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 12-noon.
If you want to learn more about the region's smaller artisan winemakers call into Fall from Grace in Willunga. This lovely old building stocks a good range of natural, organic, biodynamic and hard to find local wines; the cellar door operates on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Those with plenty of time on their hands should motor over to nearby Langhorne Creek, a smaller wine region but one which is gaining a worldwide reputation for its complex reds, especially cabernet and shiraz.
Bremerton, Angas Plains, Lake Breeze and Bleasdale are all worth visiting, while The Winehouse on Langhorne Creek Road stocks some of the region's more boutique labels. Of course, for the would be wine aficionado all roads lead to the Barossa Valley, a highly productive region with an honoured wine making tradition.
Today, some 750 grape growing families supply quality grapes to more than 170 wine companies of all shapes and sizes. Visitors can choose from international titans such as Yalumba, Wolf Blass, Jacob's Creek and Penfolds and intimate cellar doors like Tscharke, Two Hands Wines, Henschke, Rockford Wines and Charles Melton Wines – just leave plenty of room in the boot for your purchases.
Signature Barossa experiences include visiting the Yalumba cooperage, cycling on the Jack Bobridge Track and tasting the world's oldest fortified wines at Seppeltsfield Winery. This magnificent estate now houses the new JamFactory art complex and a destination restaurant called Fino. You may want to linger.
Q&A: Farrin Foster, editor of CityMag
a) Your favourite restaurant?
"Africola on South Terrace for a big night, La Trattoria on King William Street for a late night and East Taste (Gouger Street) or Adelaide Pho (Waymouth Street) for a cheap night."
b) Best pub or bar in Adelaide?
"The city's best pub is the Grace Emily Hotel on Waymouth Street – it has one of the only true front bars left in the CBD complete with a fireplace, friendly faces and a dartboard."
c) My hidden secret in Adelaide?
"It's not so hidden, but somehow there are still people that don't know about a little café called Hey Jupiter (in Ebenezer Place, East End) and its pork belly sandwich."
d) Best day trip from city?
"A trip to the award-winning Fino restaurant in Willunga via the unfathomably beautiful Adelaide Hills is essential. Top the adventure off with a swim at Port Willunga if the weather is right."
