It’s almost a given that McLaren Vale produces some of the best wines in Australia, but what makes the region really punch above its weight is the ways curious drinkers can engage with wine-making while exploring everything the area has to offer. From special vineyard tastings, to stunning restaurants, to understand the Vale’s unique terroir, take it one glass at a time or peruse our handy guide to plan your next weekend trip.   

Taste

Wirra Wirra 
255 Strout Road, McLaren Vale

If you’re looking for a cellar door experience that doesn’t take itself too seriously, then put Wirra Wirra on your list. Established in 1894 by loveable eccentric Robert Strangways, then brought back to life by the equally unconventional Greg Trott in the 60s, there’s a replica medieval trebuchet on the lawn (used for hurling watermelons), a 3/4 tonne bell that visitors are encouraged to ring, and a massive boundary fence made of huge redgum trunks. But alongside the charm and quirks, they’re deadly serious about their wine, as any of their four tasting experiences will prove. Make a day of it: you’ll find the iconic Harry’s Deli across the hall from the luxurious tasting room, featuring lunches based around contemporary Australian cuisine and local ingredients. The mix of indoor and outdoor spaces make it an all-season treat and a great way to follow up your tasting. 

Hugh Hamilton 
94 McMurtie Road, McLaren Vale 

Everybody loves a black sheep, probably because every family has one. But few families look back on six generations of black sheepery with quite as much pride as the Hamiltons, who’ve created a whole vineyard around that particular bit of family lore. Their stripped-back tastings are a great way to throw yourself into their world, focusing on big-hitting reds. Unusual blends are also a focus at Hamilton’s: their Dark Arts label is a range of blends that shouldn’t work, but absolutely do, and a tasting is an ideal way to explore them. Also say ‘yes please’ to anything made with saperavi: originally found in Georgia, it’s not that common around the Vale and has become a bit of a tasty passion project for the vineyard.    

Hardy’s Tintara 
202 Main Road, McLaren Vale 

One of McLaren Vale’s most well-established wineries, it’s perhaps no surprise that Hardy’s Tintara have put a lot of thought into their visitor experience: even the most jaded oenophile will find something a little bit different at this cellar door. Try their Tasting In The Dark session. Blindfolded in a dark cellar and deprived of all the visual cues that normally influence a wine tasting, you’re led through a series of questions with a wine flight, where even guessing the colour of the wine in your glass is much harder than you think. It’s a brilliant way to knock off any preconceptions and put any resident wine bores in their place. Win-win. An art gallery, pop-up restaurants, pretty gardens and history exhibition round things out and you could quite easily spend a whole afternoon here. 

Woodstock 
215 Douglas Gully Road, McLaren Flat 

Woodstock is the definition of organic, easy-going charm, and the prospect of stretching out on their commodious lawn for an afternoon is one of pure pleasure. Cellar door tastings in their airy room are led by people who feel like family, or you can simply grab a bottle of their delicious cuvée rosé or yummy fiano to enjoy with a cheese platter on the grass on a sunny day. That said, Woodstock are a year-round destination, with a Gin Long Canteen collab keeping things cosy in a special pavilion in winter (weekends only). Don’t miss their onsite wildlife sanctuary. Three hectares of scrub that rescued western grey kangaroos, emus, wallabies and visiting koalas call their home. There’s a chance to meet them at the daily supervised feeding session. 

Down The Rabbit Hole
233 Binney Road, McLaren Vale 

Before taking over Down The Rabbit Hole, Domenic and Elise Palumbo shared their travel adventures on Instagram, and this social media-savvy imbues a boutique vineyard full of photogenic spots. Wine tastings, led by a young and enthusiastic team, might take place on their baby-blue converted bus, or the chic, stripped-back bar area. Thursday night means pizza and wine, sprawled on the lawn in summer or cosied-up around the firepit in winter, while Friday nights are for relaxing around Nonna’s Table’s traditional Italian feast. Fiore Restaurant is the jewel in their crown. Their Mangiamo menu translates to ‘let’s eat’ and is a stunning, generous set menu featuring organic garden produce, local fish and, of course, an opportunity to delve further into a joyful wine list. 

Eat

More and more cellar doors offer food in some form, but if you want to linger in a more traditional restaurant setting head to Star Of Greece is one of the Vale’s best bets. Overlooking Port Willunga Beach, ask for a terrace table to enjoy a stunning sunset views, only rivalled by what’s on your plate. The focus is on modern food and friendly service and it’s the type of place where you’ll feel equally at home dressed up to celebrate a special occasion as you will arriving straight from the beach smelling of sunscreen with sand in your toes. Iconic.  Get the pepper squid. 

Sleep 

From Adelaide, it’s perfectly possible to get to McLaren Vale and back in a day, but why not make a night or a weekend of it? There’s a huge variety of accommodation to explore and enjoy, from boutique B&Bs to rustic cabins. For something a little bit different, head to Divine Domes, a collection of four eco domes. Each with its own private deck and outdoor bath, the domes blend rustic charm with a sustainable ethos and luxe styling, a cloud-soft king size bed and plenty of glamourous touches. There’s a communal outdoor barn kitchen and seating area for cooking, lounging and socialising, but nothing beats sitting in solitude on your deck in the darkness, counting the stars.

Explore 

The old-world wine experts can burble on about terroir until they’re blue in the face, but trust the Vale to find a better way of explaining the link between land and vine. Helivista offer edge-of-the-seat helicopter tours with an experienced pilot who also knows their wine. The bird’s eye view of coast, rivers, woods and valley is a fascinating primer on how the Vale’s unique geology affects the wine in your glass, or just while away the time trying to spot your favourite wineries from the air. Check their flight and lunch experiences if you want to mark a special date. If you prefer to stay on terra firma, SA eBikes’ TukTuk tour is a lower-key way to explore the region, with an enthusiastic guide pointing out the landmarks as you pootle around the paths that make up the 8km Shiraz Trail. They also offer eBike hire if you’d rather move under your own steam.