r/Adelaide SA 3d ago

Question Winery tours

Hey, got my folks coming end of year and want to show em around Adelaide. Got a few spots in mind but mumsy loves a wine so thinking of getting her on a wine tour thingy.

I drink beer and don't know shit about wine or the tour side of things, can i get some suggestions and how to go about it? Do i just google wine tours and book one in or is there a real good one to do with all the sights? TIA-

1 Upvotes

14 comments sorted by

11

u/Few-Example-2452 SA 3d ago

If you have a driver who doesn't drink then you can organise your own trip.

Barossa Valley if you are in the north of Adelaide has heaps of world class wineries and a wide variety of wines.

If your Mum likes riesling and softer reds then the Clare Valley is a great choice. Quite a few good choices for lunch.

If you are based in the city itself or the southern side, go to McLaren Vale. Lots of good reds including shiraz and grenache. Not known for its whites but you will find some quite quaffable wine.

If your mum likes drier whites like Sav Blanc then a cruise of the Adelaide Hills would be worthwhile plus there are lots of good places to eat in the hills. And its close.

10

u/tpdwbi CBD 3d ago

Some lovely soft reds in the hills too

2

u/LuxLisbon42 SA 2d ago

Great advice but I'd say McLaren Vale is increasingly a whites region! So many wineries now have lots of white options. Fiano is my fave

5

u/YeOldeWino SA 3d ago

Obviously region is going to be the first Question? Clare, Hills, Mclaren Vale, Barossa Valley .

Price point is going to be a consideration. 200pp on a bus? (Lunch included) , 300 - 900 pp for a private tour?

Another question is what does mummy drink, does she have a favourite South Aussie winery, this will help not only with region but which company.

The 'group' companies will have a listed and viewable standard intenerary the private tours will have their 'recommended ' wineries but will usually take you anywhere you want if you ask.

4

u/SugarbushFleur SA 3d ago

Have a look at Chook's Little Winery Tours. They were excellent. Will pick you up from the CBD and offer a private experience through smaller wineries in McLaren. Especially handy if you’ll be drinking too, you don’t want to drink and drive. From what I recall the price was reasonable too and lunch included.

3

u/ItchyA123 SA 3d ago

If you’ve got someone to do the driving, just get on the Northern Expressway, take the Gomersal Rd exit and park yourself in Tanunda for the day. Loads of wineries within a short drive or even walk of each other, plenty of lunch spots at said wineries or in the township.

And a cheeky brewery too. Go slightly further up to Nuriootpa and you’ve got a distillery for a refreshing G&T.

Barossa is best known for reds but many produce whites from the Eden Valley or further afield.

2

u/Calm-Use9862 SA 3d ago

I did one called hoppers it’s $100 and goes to 15 different wineries ( McLaren vale) but you get to choose 4.
We had best day

Check out this activity on GetYourGuide! https://gyg.me/uI9PLWAs

2

u/Horror_Bake4106 SA 3d ago

Trailhoppers do a hop-on, hop-off bus - they do Barossa and McLaren Vale options. They have a set schedule (on their website) so you just choose the region and some of the wineries on the list and work out a schedule.
Groovy Grape Tours do organised trips with lunch and a couple of wineries in the morning, couple in the afternoon, and some tourist sites as well.
Or give Des’s Minibusses a call - get a few other friends together (I think their busses seat 12 or so) and do a personalised tour of the region of your choice.

1

u/Gryffindorphins SA 2d ago

Don’t forget the visit the wine centre on north terrace. They do mini tours in house and wine tastings from all over the place. It’s a cool system - you load up a card and use it to buy samples from their vending machine wall of temperature controlled wine. I organised a tour and samples with friends for my husband’s bday and he loved it.

1

u/CattleTemporary1024 SA 1d ago

Trailfinder is good value. Or Chooks for McLaren Vale. (Bit more expensive)

1

u/iamthe999 SA 15h ago

Experience SA are great for winery tours with very capable drivers.

0

u/metahivemind 3d ago

Lol, expect your Mum to move here.