Chalk Hill

It’s not just the award-winning wines that draw the crowds – sitting atop a hill in McLaren Vale, Chalk Hill’s cellar door serves up panoramic views of rolling vineyards, the Mount Lofty Ranges and the Fleurieu coast. It’s easily one of the region’s most scenic (and social) spots to settle in with a glass. The tasting room is just as beautiful – sleek and light-filled. Highlights include the tempranillo grenache, previously awarded the top gong at the prestigious McLaren Vale Wine Show, plus their premium Alpha Crucis range. For something a little different, try their immersive Sensory Odyssey experience, which pairs wines with music.

Battle of Bosworth

Housed in an 1850s chaff shed and stables, Battle of Bosworth cellar door boasts rustic charm and warm hospitality. The family-run winery is focused on certified organic drops, which reflect the purity and character of the region’s fruit. Guests can enjoy a guided tasting of three labels – the premium Battle of Bosworth, plus Spring Seed Co and the newly added Outlier Range, which explores Mediterranean blends and innovative winemaking techniques. After that, settle into the picturesque setting with a local cheese platter. Hosting an event? The venue recently opened a new room for hire, called the Ruin.

Shadow Creek

Wander down the peaceful path to find a cellar door that invites you to pause, listen and linger. Perched above Turraparri Creek and surrounded by old gums and gnarled vines, Shadow Creek is the home of small batch wines, from aromatic fiano and vermentino to grenache made from those near-century-old vines. Family-run, the cellar door was built with materials sympathetic to its environment: mud bricks, recycled beams and oversized windows that bring the outside in. Don’t miss the whimsical wine window for a picture-perfect opportunity and keep your ears open for birdsong. Make a weekend of it with an overnight stay at the contemporary onsite retreat.

Berg Herring

Tucked between the iconic Victory Hotel and the white sandy shores of Sellicks Beach, Berg Herring is a boutique cellar door with rustic charm. Housed in a beautifully restored 1862 sandstone chapel, it specialises in small-batch McLaren Vale wines with a focus on emerging Mediterranean varieties. Linger for longer and bring your own picnic to enjoy on the lawn (you can also pre-order a local produce platter), or settle into one of their quirky barrel pods with views of the hills and coast. Keep an eye on their socials for pop-up food and music events.

Oliver’s Taranga

Taste small-batch wines full of character, made from the Oliver family’s Taranga vineyard and served in a space where warm hospitality meets contemporary style. The cellar door is a year-round destination, with cosy corners inside the original cottage, a striking modern extension, and vineyard views from the all-weather deck. There’s plenty to taste, including the recently released 2025 fiano – a signature wine that’s earned award-winning winemaker Corrina Wright the nickname “Queen of Fiano”. Another must-try is the 2021 M53 Shiraz, made only in exceptional vintages (only four have been made since the inaugural release in 2010). Oh, and keep an eye out for their famed porchetta parties.

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Wirra Wirra

The only cellar door with a watermelon-flinging catapult (the late vigneron Greg Trott had a vision to “compete” against fellow wineries), Wirra Wirra is steeped in history – with a touch of playfulness. The tasting room oozes character and warmth, from the crackling fireplace to the exposed brick walls and tasting stations – whether up at the bar or seated on the comfy couch. Esteemed wines range from the approachable Church Block red blend to the recently-awarded 12th Man Chardonnay. Make an afternoon of it with lunch at the onsite Harry’s Deli restaurant.

Samson Tall

Perhaps it’s the history of the place – a story that weaves through the land and the 1850s chapel-turned-cellar door – or, perhaps it’s the family-friendly nature of it all, starting with the two friendly black labradors that greet you upon arrival. Whatever the reason, Samson Tall has an undeniable charm that wins people’s hearts – even before they taste the wine. Husband-and-wife team Paul Wilson and Heather Budich are behind Samson Tall, named after the early settler to the region. Wines are vibrant, with a focus on grenache – including a picpoul grenache blanc – all made on-site.

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Samuel’s Gorge

Within an eclectic 1850s barn atop a hill in McLaren Vale, a special kind of tasting experience awaits. There’s no script here – you might sample wines while sitting at a table with friends, or out on the verandah as cockatoos soar above the Onkaparinga Gorge. Staff will soon feel like mates as they weave the stories of the wines throughout your tasting, and chat with you – not at you. Known for its Mediterranean reds, be sure to try the single varietal grenache and the Spanish greciano, which staff say is “banging” right now.

Vigna Bottin

It’s a taste of Italy, hidden in Willunga. Vigna Bottin, the cellar door and osteria created by the Bottin family, has hospitality at its core. You’ll feel welcomed from the moment you step inside and are invited to a guided tasting of food-friendly Italian wines – think fiano, sangiovese, barebera and nero. There’s even an Italian-grown and made prosecco, which proudly bears its official Italian Designation of Origin. Of course, in Italy, it’s never just about the wine – the osteria serves hearty, nonna-style fare that’s made for sharing with the people you love.

Yangarra Estate Vineyard

Opened in 2023, Yangarra’s cellar door makes a bold first impression: its angular, chapel-like roofline rising from the vines like a modern-day altar to grenache. That is, after all, the cornerstone variety to which the winery is devoted – Yangarra owns and farms more than 20 per cent of McLaren Vale’s grenache vines 70 years and older. Tasting options range from the estate tasting of Yangarra’s organic single vineyard wines, to the guided High Sands Experience, which begins with a vineyard tour and finishes with a curated tasting of three vintages.

Bondar Wines

Recently awarded Best Value Winery in the 2026 Halliday Wine Companion Awards, Bondar Wines is celebrated for its bright, medium-bodied wines, made using whole bunch techniques, earlier picking and extended time on skins. Taste them at Bondar’s intimate McLaren Vale cellar door, housed in a historic sandstone cottage on McMurtrie Road – a space it shares with fellow wine labels Lino Ramble and Sherrah Wines. Keen to learn more? Book in for a “winter winemaking session” with winemaker Andre Bondar – a 90-minute tasting that explores soil, topography and climate.

Maxwell Wines

Adventurous types can tour the estate by electric buggy or get lost in the giant hedge maze on foot. Or, perhaps an intimate behind-the-scenes tasting is more your style, during which you’ll have a rare opportunity to sample wine directly from the barrel and explore the property’s 100-year-old lime cave. There is something for everybody at Maxwell’s cellar door; their newest offering is a bougie snack menu that can be paired with your flight of wine or mead, for which the winery is also well known. Coming with friends? Why not opt for a picnic platter out on the lawn – perfect for sunny days.

Coriole Vineyards

As your tyres crunch over the gravel, winding past olive groves and sun-drenched vines, you’ll feel the outside world begin to fade. Welcome to Coriole, where the pace slows, the air feels softer, and the setting is effortlessly serene. Here, an old limestone farmhouse decorated with climbing greenery and flowers houses the tasting room, where visitors can enjoy everything from chenin blanc to nero d’Avola. Make an afternoon of it with a glorious long lunch at the restaurant; an ever-evolving regional menu headed by chef Patty Streckfuss.

Down the Rabbit Hole

Down the rabbit hole you go to a “cellar door” like no other. Sprawling lawn, a sandpit for the kids, a couple of chooks and a double decker bus: this is the ultimate setting to sip, graze and play. That pastel blue vintage bus offers more than an Instagram moment; it’s where tastings are shared between friends. Afterwards, you can kick off your shoes and melt into a picnic blanket, grazing platter in easy reach. Up for a feast? Book in for lunch or Friday night dinner at restaurant Fiore, led by passionate chef Nick Tadija, where generous Italian plates and handmade pasta are worth the trip alone.

d’Arenberg

Come for the Cube; stay for a multi-level sensory adventure. The d’Arenberg Cube is more than just a visual marvel; it’s a constantly evolving destination that redefines the cellar door experience. On level three, the newly reimagined Sensorial Circus is now home to Settler Spirits, where guests can enjoy gin flights and blending masterclasses as well as graze-worthy food. Art aficionados will find their place on level two with the captivating Salvador Dalí exhibition, while the top floor is where wine shines: choose from three tasting flights, then enjoy the 360-degree views over McLaren Vale.

Willunga 100

Opened in early 2025, the Willunga 100 grenache room – within the thoughtfully-restored 1920 Moritz family stone cottage – offers an intimate space to sip, swirl and dive deeper into the story of Blewitt Springs’ iconic grenache. Among the tasting flights is the unique Blewitt Springs Grenache Experience: a collaboration of wines from Willunga 100, Yangarra and SC Pannell, which explores the nuances of terroir and technique within the glass. Share a table with friends or pull up a seat out on the deck to breathe in the fresh air and vineyard views.

Joinery Wine Room

This ain’t no ordinary cellar door. You’ll find Joinery Wine Room tucked within Factory 9 – a creative hub made up of unassuming sheds, which is home to a bunch of artisans and producers. It’s here you’ll find prized wines by Charlotte Dalton as well as Cooke Brothers, plus cellar door exclusives under the name, The Joinery. It’s a community-building space – come just to hang out, join a karaoke night or catch a live gig. Also, keep an eye out for their long lunch events, with chefs including Duncan Welgemoed of Africola getting on the tools.

Dandelion Vineyards

Dandelion Vineyards’ Wonder Room is the realisation of Elena and Zar Brooks’ long-held dream – a space that offers a place to sit, slow down and take in the views, all with wine in-hand. Perched atop the ancient ridge of Firehawk Farm, the Wonder Room’s impressive floor-to-ceiling windows and amphitheatre-style steps offers breathtaking 180-degree views across lush vineyards, Gulf St Vincent and the Willunga Escarpment. Food is important here, too: a tasting includes chef-prepared, bite-sized morsels designed to complement each wine. In summer, guests are invited to roll out a picnic on the expanse of lawn, complete with cushions and lawn games.

Beresford

If you’re part of a group with a mix of tastes – wine, beer and gin – then put Beresford on your list. Beresford’s striking tasting pavilion offers a selection of drinks that extends beyond wine flights: guests can also taste the range of sister brewery, Vale Brewing, and distillery, 23rd Street, all on site. There’s even a shiraz and chocolate tasting, an El Toro Tequila flight and Galway Pipe fortified tasting. Hungry? Book in for a picnic or wander over to the Vale Restaurant and Bar for belly-filling fare.

This article first appeared in the 2025 issue of SALIFE Food+Wine+Travel magazine.