The only McLaren Vale wineries guide you need to read

Originally written by Alexis Buxton-Collins with updates by Megan Arkinstall

Plan the perfect wine weekend at these standout cellar doors where you can level up your tasting with lavish lunch spreads, expert-led tours and luxe hideaways.

Less than an hour south of Adelaide lies Australia’s most beautiful wine region, where dozens of inviting cellar doors are surrounded by lovingly tended rows of vines caressed by gentle sea breezes. From iconic shiraz to easy-drinking Italian, Greek, Spanish and Portuguese varietals, you’ll find an astonishing range of flavour profiles on offer, and that diversity is reflected in the cellar door offerings at the best McLaren Vale wineries.

In a single magical day you can enjoy a tasting with a sixth-generation owner and chase the kids around an enchanting natural maze before sitting down to an immaculately presented lunch at one of the Vale’s best restaurants and lying back in the lap of luxury at the cosy winery accommodation nearby – here’s everything you need to know.

Wineries | Winery restaurants | Wine tours | Winery accommodation

The Best McLaren Vale wineries

The 45-minute drive from Adelaide makes it simple to visit McLaren Vale on a day trip, but you could just as easily spend several weeks visiting more than 80 cellar doors dotted around the region. And because they encompass everything from rustic, family-run operations to internationally renowned names, oenophiles of every stripe will find their tastes catered to at these McLaren Vale wineries.

Coriole

Rolling hills lined with perfectly manicured rows of Sangiovese vines usually conjure up visions of Tuscany, but the glittering ocean in the distance makes this a McLaren Vale special.

It’s no surprise that this is one of the most sought-after wedding destinations in the entire region, and the views are even better with a glass in hand at the open-air arbour bar that pours the perfect mix of regional classics like shiraz alongside emerging Mediterranean varietals.

Kangarilla Road

Old and new school winemaking techniques are on display at this shared cellar door, which is also home to Silent Noise wines. Eye-catching modern artworks set the scene for an innovative father and son winemaking team making everything from funky pet nats to single block Shiraz releases that tell a story of place and let you do a deep dive into terroir. Just be sure to allow plenty of time for a visit, as you’ll want to taste most of the 30 wines on offer.

Big Easy Radio

It’s strictly adults-only at this giant teal shed surrounded by palms, which feels more like a mate’s backyard than an award-winning winery. Don’t expect things to be quiet, though; regular gigs featuring many of the state’s best musicians make it the place to be Friday nights and Sunday afternoons. The service is as casual as the dress code (boardies and thongs are welcome) but the easy-drinking wines are the result of serious attention to detail, with left-field blends of Mediterranean varietals at the fore.

Woodstock

Little ones will absolutely love the wildlife sanctuary at this sprawling property, which is one of the most kid-friendly wineries in McLaren Vale. Arrive in the morning to spot some of the fluffy rescue koalas napping in centuries-old gums beside the cellar door before getting up close with the friendly resident kangaroos and an emu named Maverick at the daily 11:30 feeding.

Then it’s time to treat yourself in the tasting room that heroes crisp whites and powerful old vine shiraz alongside a fortified tasting matched with chocolates.

McLaren Vale wineries with lunch

Waves of Italian migration and a dry coastal climate have had a profound influence on the McLaren Vale wine and food scenes, so it’s no surprise that you’ll find a range of classic Mediterranean options filling both your plate and glass.

But there’s also a strong modern Australian streak running through the culinary scene, which combines local produce and techniques from around the world with stunning views. Whether you’re after a grazing platter or a sophisticated degustation, you’ll find what you’re after at these McLaren vale winery restaurants.

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

Maxwell

This family-friendly winery is best known for mazes and mead, but the real star of the show is usually hard at work in the kitchen. Chef Fabian Lehmann devises the kind of audaciously plated creations that are made for Instagram, and fortunately, they taste every bit as good as they look.

The $165 price tag means this is strictly for special occasions, and the 10-course tasting menu features intentionally vague listings like “nori, ricotta, pea" to ensure that every dish is a surprise when it arrives.

d’Arenberg

This giant five-storey Rubik’s Cube rising above the vines is visible long before you reach it, which is a good thing: you might need a little time to decide which option to visit for lunch.

The playful fourth-storey restaurant Singapore Circus combines influences from across Southeast Asia in a range of small plates and signature dishes like the showstopping chilli crab.

While d’Arry’s Verandah in the neighbouring 19th-century homestead is the place to head to for leisurely long lunches that highlight seasonal local produce.

Wirra Wirra

If you’re after something a little more casual, the staff at Harry’s Deli begin pulling shots of Dawn Patrol coffee and serving a simple brunch menu at 10 am before switching to more substantial fare at lunchtime.

You can get on a first-name basis with some of the region’s best producers as you tuck into cheeseboards and platters featuring Brian’s olives and Andy Clappis’ bread, or go a little deeper into the menu to find a range of sandwiches and a hearty steak and shiraz pie that’s a local favourite.

Shottesbrooke

You won’t be able to taste your way through the entire range at this winery, which has six different skews covering everything from affordable porch pounders to a reserve series made for sipping.

But sample even a few and you’ll likely enjoy the excuse to stretch your legs on a short walk through the vines to The Currant Shed, where you’ll find yet more Shottesbrooke wines on pour alongside a thoughtful menu that offers elegant fine dining without any pretensions (there’s even a three-course set menu for kids that’s paired with housemade lime cordial).

The top wine tours in McLaren Vale

With so many cellar doors to choose from it makes sense to let an expert help you plan the ideal day out, and having someone else behind the wheel means you can sit back and fully enjoy the day on these McLaren Vale wine tours.

My McLaren Vale

When he’s not manning the cellar door at Samuel’s Gorge, North Carolina native Jon Overcash leads small group tours that give you exclusive access to some of the best wineries in McLaren Vale (with a few breweries and distilleries thrown in for good measure). His extensive network of local connections means you can expect exclusive access to winemakers and a few barrel samples along the way, and he can customise the itinerary to focus on particular wineries, styles or family-friendly venues.

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New World Wine Tour Co

Even the most experienced oenophile will learn a thing or two on Ian Hooper’s tours, which explore the cutting edge of McLaren Vale wines. Boutique, hard-to-find producers and unusual varietals and styles are the order of the day on these fascinating excursions, which include vegan and natural wine tours as well as a day-long sensory experience that aims to demystify this sometimes intimidating world by introducing guests to the vocabulary and flavours of new generation wines.

Helivista

If you want to fully appreciate McLaren Vale’s stunning natural beauty, this unique tour gives you a bird’s eye view over the entire region, from the spectacular cliffs of the Fleurieu Peninsula to rugged Onkaparinga Gorge.

A number of local accommodation providers have their own helipads, which means you can get picked up from your front door and whisked away to a winery within minutes before stopping at The Currant Shed for a “fly-through" meal on your way to a private hilltop location where you’ll enjoy an unforgettable lunch.

McLaren Vale winery accommodation

After a long day of wine tasting, there’s no better feeling than disappearing to a sumptuous hideaway nestled in the vines. And whether you’re looking for a light-filled homestead with stunning views or a luxurious off-grid cabin, you’ll find a range of unforgettable stays at these McLaren Vale wineries.

Inkwell Wines

The name may be a cheeky reference to the winery’s address, but once you check into Hotel California Road you’ll probably wish you never had to leave.

The exquisitely designed adults-only escape is built from interconnected shipping containers that have been placed on top of each other like Lego blocks, and each of the suites makes the most of the surrounding vines. All you need to decide is whether you want to enjoy the views from the comfortable leather couch, deep soaking tub, giant floating king bed or spacious deck.

Gemtree

CABNX pods in McLaren Vale — The CABN X pods are the perfect spot to unwind.

This winery is big on biodynamics and soil health, but there’s no need to worry if you get your hands dirty on a farm tour. Just down the road from the cellar door, the CABN X pods are the perfect spot for a deep clean thanks to the wood-fired cedar sauna and a giant two-person outdoor tub. It’s all part of a design that maximises the natural beauty of the surroundings, and there are few better ways to wake up than the dawn chorus provided by the avian residents of the majestic redgums just metres from the deck.

Shadow Creek

A large part of McLaren Vale’s appeal is that it fits so much into one compact region. In the centre of the valley, kangaroos and sheep nibble at blades of grass shooting up between dense rows of vines, while further west ochre-coloured cliffs loom over beaches of glittering white sand. And the million-dollar views from every room in this cosy hideaway let you take it all in without having to get up from your seat.

The well-stocked Vintec wine fridge means sundowners are taken care of, whether you’re lounging on the roomy deck or curled up by the giant double fireplace that opens onto the king bedroom and living room, while the 10 trees planted per booking help to make Australia’s greenest wine region even more beautiful.

Makers, bakers, artists, chefs, crafters – Ballarat and its surrounds are overflowing with creative spirits. All dedicated to keeping traditional skills alive for a city that is humming with artful energy.

Modern makers: a new generation of artists and artisans

“Keeping craft alive is a noble cause,” says Jess Cameron-Wootten, a charming and passionate master leathercrafter and cordwainer, who handmakes traditional leather boots and shoes in Ballarat’s old Gun Cotton Goods Store.

Ballarat was recognised in 2019 as a UNESCO Creative City of Craft and Folk Art, and today it’s a place where craft traditions converge with contemporary needs. Nothing quite captures this convergence as a visit to Wootten, the workshop and store of Jess Cameron-Wootten and his partner Krystina Menegazzo.

heritage buildings in Ballarat — Ballarat’s streets are lined with heritage buildings. (Image: Matt Dunne)

Jess’s father was an artisan bootmaker, or cordwainer. Now Jess and Krys and their small team of artisans continue the tradition, but with a modern spin. The company’s boots and shoes, made completely from scratch, are renowned for their quality and longevity. Wootten also craft shoes, bags, belts, leather aprons, wallets and more.

Cosy beanies, gloves, alpaca socks, “unbreakable” shoelaces and various other goods – many from local craftspeople and small-scale makers – fill the shop’s shelves. “We’re always happy to support a mate,” says Jess. “People love to see the workshop and where things are made. Our clients care about quality and sustainability,” Krys comments. The company slogan ‘Made for generations’ says it all.

Ruby Pilven’s ceramics at Ross Creek Gallery. (Image: Tara Moore)

For Ruby Pilven, craft is also in the DNA – both her parents were potters and with her latest porcelain ceramics, Ruby’s young daughter has been helping add colour to the glazes. “I grew up watching my parents in the workshop – I’ve always been doing ceramics,” she says, although her Visual Arts degree was in printmaking. That printmaking training comes through particularly in the rich layering of pattern. Her audacious colour, unexpected shapes and sudden pops of 12-carat gold are contemporary, quirky – and joyful.

You can see Ruby’s handcrafted ceramics, and work by other local and regional artists, at Ross Creek Gallery, a light-filled space surrounded by serene bushland, across from the mudbrick house her parents built in the 1980s. A 10-minute drive from Ballarat, it’s a tangible link to the region’s well-established craft traditions.

How Ballarat is preserving the past

artisans making crafts at the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades, Ballarat — The Centre for Rare Arts & Forgotten Trades holds workshops to preserve crafts and skills.

While tradition is ongoing, there’s a danger that many of these specific type of skills and knowledge are fading as an older generation passes on. Step forward the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades.

The seven purpose-built studios occupy a fabulous modern building adjacent to Sovereign Hill, with state-of-the-art facilities, enormous windows and landscape views across to Warrenheip and Wadawurrung Country.

artisanal works at the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades, Ballarat — Check out artisanal works at the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades.

Practising artisans run hands-on workshops. Fancy making your own medieval armour? Or trying your hand at blacksmithing, spinning wool, plaiting leather, weaving cane or craft a knife? Book a class and learn how. “It’s about creating awareness and also sharing knowledge and skills before they are lost,” explains Deborah Klein, the centre manager.

A city steeped in food and flavours

Chef José Fernandez preparing American streetfood at Pancho — Chef José Fernandez creates vibrant South American street food at Pancho. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

One skill that hasn’t been lost is that of cooking. Ballarat’s burgeoning gastronomy scene runs the gamut from an artisan bakery (the atmospheric 1816 Bakehouse) to cool coffee shops, speakeasy cocktail bars and distilleries to fine-dining venues. But I’m still surprised to find Pancho, José Fernandez’s South American street food restaurant, serving fried cheese tequeños, fiery fish tacos, Argentinian grilled chicken.

The room is as lively as the food – a whirl of colour filled with gifted and thrifted paintings, photos, tchotchkes (trinkets), plants. There’s a Mexican abuela aesthetic going on here. Even before the music and mezcal kick in, it’s fun. Heads up on the drinks menu – an authentic selection of mezcal, tequila, South American wines and Mexican cerveza.

a cocktail at Itinerant Spirits, Ballarat — Enjoy a cocktail at Itinerant Spirits. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

The spirit is willing, so after lunch we head towards the gold rush-era Ballarat train station and across the line to the old 1860s Goods Shed for Itinerant Spirits. At one end, a massive German copper still looms behind a wall of glass. The fit-out embraces deep olive-green tones, original bluestone walls, steamer trunks as coffee tables, heritage timber floors, oversized lamp shades and cognac-hued modernist leather seating.

the Itinerant Spirits Distillery & Cocktail Bar, Ballarat — The distillery operates from an old goods shed. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

Gallivanter Gin, Vansetter Vodka and Wayfarer Whiskey – the key spirits distilled – star at the bar. The spirits are crafted using grains from the Wimmera Mallee region, and native botanicals foraged in the Grampians. Seasonal cocktails are inspired by local people and places (I loved The Headland, inspired by Sovereign Hill and flavoured with old-fashioned raspberry drops). Sample the spirits, and join a cocktail masterclass or a distillery tour. It’s a seductive setting – you’ll likely find yourself ordering a charcuterie platter or pizza as the evening progresses.

The Ballarat stay combining history and luxury

one of the rooms at Hotel Vera, Ballarat — The rooms at Hotel Vera have a contemporary style. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

New lives for old buildings keeps history alive. Vera, Ballarat’s boutique five-star hotel, has taken it to the next level: it’s a palimpsest, a subtle layering of early 1900s and 1930s Art Deco architecture with a sleek new wing. There are seven spacious suites, each a dramatically different colour, with designer chairs, blissful bathrooms. High-end pottery and hand-picked artworks imbue the spaces with personality.

Vera’s intimate, award-winning restaurant, Babae, is subtly theatrical with sheer drapes and gallery lighting, its bespoke timber furniture and brass-edged marble bench setting the stage for food with a sharp regional focus. “We have goat’s cheese from a local supplier, handmade granola from local Vegas & Rose, truffles from nearby Black Cat Truffles, fresh food from our garden, and regional wines,” says joint owner David Cook-Doulton.

Celebrating the local makers, bakers, growers and producers, and the master chefs who work their magic is all part of the rich tapestry that links Ballarat’s history to its vibrant present.

A traveller’s checklist

Getting there

It’s 90 minutes from Melbourne, either on the Western Freeway, or hop on a V/Line train from Southern Cross Station.

Staying there

Hotel Vera is a centrally located Art Deco boutique hotel. Consider Hotel Provincial, which feels like a sleek country house, but with its own restaurant, Lola.

a contemporary room at Hotel Provincial, Ballarat — Hotel Provincial has country house vibes.

Eating there

dining at Mr Jones, Ballarat — The table is set at Mr Jones. (Image: Tony Evans/ Visit Victoria)

Culinary whiz Damien Jones helms Chef’s Hat winner Mr Jones Dining with quiet assurance. His modern Asian food is deceptively simple with deep, intense flavours. Low-key, laid-back ambience, lovely staff, thoughtful wine list.

Cocktails are definitely a thing in Ballarat. Reynard (fox in French) is foxy indeed, a clubby space with top-notch cocktails and small bites. Grainery Lane is extravagantly OTT with its massive 1880s bar, myriad chandeliers, brass gin still, Asian-inspired food and lavish cocktails.

dining at Grainery Lane, Ballarat — Dining at Grainery Lane.

Playing there

a laneway filled with artworks in Ballarat — An artful laneway in the city. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

Check out local design legend Travis Price’s wall murals in Hop Lane with its colourful canopy of brollies, or in Main Street. The Art Gallery of Ballarat’s off-site Backspace Gallery showcases early-career artists in a stylish, contemporary space. First Nations-owned and run Perridak Arts connects people to place, bringing together art and crafts in this gallery/shop.

a woman admiring artworks at Perridak Arts Gallery — Perridak Arts is a First Nations-run gallery. (Image: Tony Evans)

The wineries of the Pyrenees are close at hand with their welcoming cellar doors and robust reds. Join a behind-the-scenes tour at the Centre for Gold Rush Collections.

Don’t forget the giant bluestone Kryal Castle, ‘the land of adventure’, for a little medieval magic, and not just for the kids: get ready for Highland-style feasting, jousting, even overnight stays.

The only McLaren Vale wineries guide you need to read

Plan the perfect wine weekend at these standout cellar doors where you can level up your tasting with lavish lunch spreads, expert-led tours and luxe hideaways.