A three-day hit of SA wine, food and inspiration
The annual Cellar Door Fest celebrates the best of South Australian food and wine – all under the one, accessible roof.
Few events capture South Australia’s food and wine strengths as succinctly as Cellar Door Fest. As wine writer and festival host Nick Ryan puts it, “Very few cities in the world could do Cellar Door Fest like Adelaide”.
He’s right. Adelaide is a city ringed by iconic wine regions, where a one-hour drive in any direction places you somewhere completely different: the cool green of the Adelaide Hills, the sun-soaked vineyards of McLaren Vale, the old vines of the Barossa or, further afield, the Riesling trails of Clare, or the windswept coast of the Eyre Peninsula. And, for one long weekend, all that comes to the CBD in a single, taste-as-you-go experience.
The 2026 event marks a milestone – 15 years of celebrating the best of South Australia’s food, drink, producers and regions. Festival director Jasmine Pohl says the anniversary edition will be one of the biggest yet.
“Cellar Door Fest is Adelaide’s favourite food and drink festival, and we’re thrilled to be celebrating our 15th anniversary in 2026,” she says. “Over the years, the Fest has evolved into this incredible weekend of gourmet fun. This year’s edition will be no exception, bringing more than 130 of our state’s hottest producers together under the one roof in the heart of the city to meet, taste and discover.”
Across the three days, the festival draws thousands of passionate food and drink enthusiasts through the doors of the Adelaide Convention Centre. Each session has its own flavour – Friday night brings post-work energy; Saturday is the social peak; and Sunday slows down into a haven for the serious sippers.
“Sunday is generally a much slower pace, more relaxed,” Jasmine says. “It’s generally for the wine connoisseurs – they’re able to chat one-on-one with the makers and stock their cellars.”
For Nick Ryan – who hosts the event’s wine Discovery Stage – the festival is a snapshot of what makes South Australian wine globally compelling.
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“When you walk into the festival and you see all those winemakers spread around the hall, you go, ‘That is a really amazing and compelling and exciting collection of winemakers all in one place,” he says. “We know how blessed we are with what surrounds us, but to see it in one place like that – it’s pretty damn exciting.”
When it comes to what’s hot and what to look out for on the SA wine scene, Nick is particularly energised by the evolution of Grenache. “The Grenache thing is still really exciting – right now in South Australia, the most exciting Grenache wines anywhere in the world are being made,” he says.
“There’s a particular producer called Larnook Wines who have a Grenache gris – a pretty rare variety. There’s not much of it in the ground here at all, but I love it. Grenache gris looks quite zippy, very fresh, with chamomile and grapefruit pith qualities to it.”
Nick says this variety – and many like it – reflects a broader shift in South Australia’s wine landscape. What used to be called “alternative varieties” are now becoming part of everyday drinking. “These varieties like Montepulciano or Nero d’Avola or Grenache gris are becoming much more part of our regular drinking armoury,” he says.
And that’s exactly what Cellar Door Fest encourages: experimentation without risk.
“What’s really good about this event is the permission it gives you to be promiscuous,” Nick says. “You walk into a wine shop with $50 in your pocket with the intention of trying something different. And then you look at the shelves and fridges full of hundreds of different labels, you get overwhelmed by choice and just buy the same thing you bought last week, because it’s easy.
“Whereas here, it’s all there for you to taste so you can take those risks and leaps of faith. The worst thing that’s going to happen is you strike a wine that you don’t like. So you tip that one out and move on to the next. We like to think that everyone who comes through the door is on the mission to find their next favourite wine.”
But it’s not all about the wine, with almost 30 per cent of stallholders at the festival offering delicious artisan foods to tempt the tastebuds, as well as a fantastic representation of SA’s buzzing distillery scene.
Among participating food producers there’s The Larder, which specialises in hand-crafted condiments, olive and balsamic wine producer It’s Olio, and gourmet Dutch biscuit manufacturer the Frantic Whisk, just to name a few.
2026 festival highlights
Yumbah x DAOSA Seafood & Sparkling Bar
“New in 2026, we’re delighted to be supporting SA coastal communities with a special seafood showcase,” Jasmine says. “Yumbah and DAOSA are teaming up to present a seafood and sparkling bar, where festival goers can enjoy complimentary tastings of DAOSA sparkling, with oysters, kingfish and mussels available for pairing.
“We’re also hosting a number of exclusive, 30-minute sparkling and seafood tasting flights across the weekend.”
Expanded Eyre Peninsula showcase
The festival’s celebration of SA’s world-class seafood coastal communities also incorporates an Eyre Peninsula regional showcase. “This will include local tourism specialists, a winery and handcrafted spirits,” Jasmine says. “It’s fantastic to have these representatives joining us to promote their region and inspire festival attendees to head out to visit the Eyre Peninsula.
“In many senses, Cellar Door Fest encourages travel to the regions. Following our 2025 event, 92 per cent of festivalgoers indicated they planned to go out into the regions to visit producers they discovered at the Fest, which is fantastic for local tourism and extends that ‘eat, drink, support local’ message that we proudly champion.”
Hosted by Nick Ryan, hear directly from winemakers, explore new varieties and dive into the unique stories of South Australia’s wine regions – all while sampling some exceptional drops.
Discover SA’s latest producer talent. From wineries to distilleries and even a new Adelaide-based brewery, Tiny Fish Brew Co, be among the first to uncover great new SA brands.
Masterclasses
Enhance your festival experience (and knowledge) with four themed masterclasses. The program blends live cooking, regional tastings and immersive pairings, from a summer-focused demonstration by Sprout & Tscharke Barossa to Adelaide Hills cheese and alternative wines, plus cheese-led experiences combining wine, music and guided tastings, encouraging guests to explore flavour, seasonality and personal pairing preferences
Festival Market Bag
Follow the market trail around the Festival, collecting delicious SA goodies from a range of producers before packing them into a special tote to take home to enjoy.
Friday Wine Lovers
An exclusive ticket available for those planning to attend Cellar Door Fest on Friday, January 30 – including entry for two plus a bottle of 2019 Originals Cabernet Sauvignon wine from Wangolina that can be enjoyed at the Fest or taken home if sealed.
Food, Glorious Food
The Cellar Door Fest experience wouldn’t be complete without food. A number of Adelaide’s favourite food trucks will also be joining the fun, serving up a delicious smorgasbord of food options to help fuel festivalgoers’ tasting journey.
With limited tickets, early booking is essential. “We have strictly limited tickets available so we encourage people to book early to avoid disappointment,” Jasmine says.
For a full list of participating producers, tickets and session details, visit cellardoorfestival.com
