First stop on our whirlwind Coonawarra tour on our way between Melbourne and Adelaide and I realize…read moreI've been completely spoiled by American wineries (specifically the Napa, Sonoma and Paso Robles regions!!) as I was expecting to get specific tasting notes and flavors from the server and all I got was 'what do you want to taste' and 'there you go'. Don't get et me wrong, the service was friendly, attentive and welcoming but there was no information given about the wine which I always found a little overwhelming and pretentious (especially in Napa) but which I'm now finding I really miss since I'm not getting it... Go figure?!?! Anyway tasting notes are at the counter if you are that way inclined so you don't miss out completely! And wine tastings are complimentary in the region which is a refreshing change although I'm completely programmed to by a bottle regardless these days... Wynn was a great start to our wine tasting afternoon, the service was friendly and welcoming, the wines, although nothing surprising are good examples of Coonawarra Reds, there are two wines on the tasting list that are available only through the cellar door and there is a considerable discount on the RRP if purchasing through the winery or if joining the wine club... Make sure you by if your in the region, you won't be disappointed!

From the owner: Today Wynns Coonawarra Estate is the region's pre-eminent wine producer and largest single vineyard…read moreholder with the best and longest established vineyard sites in Coonawarra. Its wines are regarded as benchmarks for the district; lauded for both their consistent quality and depth of flavour.

This small scale cellar door is often over-looked but Brands Laira makes a few of the most…read moreimpressive reds from the region. Brands is a family company which has, unfortunately become a subsiduary of the McWilliams brand in recent years. I suppose the benefit in this is that Brands continues to survive and there are lots of alternate and interstate wines available for tasting at this cellar door. They sell chocolate there too, hooray!

From the owner: There have been few other wineries throughout Australia who have witnessed and helped shape the…read moreevolution of the Wine Industry

One of the modern cellar door features you'll find in Coonawarra and the only restaurant you'll…read morefind in a Limecoast winery. You can taste a wide range of Hollick wines here plus the Frizzante and Pinot Noir which are only available at the cellar door. The restaurant aptly named 'Upstairs at the Hollicks' lends a panoramic view of Hollick "Neilson's Block" vineyard and stunning Coonawarra landscape. Diners can only catch the winemaker in action in the barrel store as they enjoy their meal. This year the Hollick picked up an award for the Best Restaurant in a Winery at the 2011 Restaurant & Catering Awards! A must visit when you are touring the vineyards in this Limecoast region. Check out their Vineyard, Winery and Lunch tour on their website.

In South Australia you're spoiled for choice when it comes to wine-tasting. The most famous…read moreregions, and closest to the city, are probably the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale but if you've already been there, I'd recommend making a trip to the Coonawarra because it's certainly worth it. The region is famous for its Cabernet Sauvignon in particular and home to many famous wineries such as Zema, Wynns or Lindemans. Penola, one of the main towns in the region is about a 4-hour drive from Adelaide and a good start would be to drop by the Visitor Information Centre here. There's a good choice of accommodation and restaurants around if you plan to stay for the night. In saying that though, take into account that the Coonawarra isn't very big and certainly doable in one day if you don't mind a bit of driving.

Well known for its private functions and wedding affairs, Katnook Estate offers a friendly wine…read moretasting to the cellar door. At the entrance of the cellar door, look out for a deep pit which shows visitors the famous terra rosa soil profile. Information from the website shows that approximately 90,000 cases are made annually under the Katnook Estate (20 000 cases), Katnook Founder's Block (40 000 cases), Riddoch (10 000 cases) and export labels. Katnook Odyssey Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon and Prodigy Shiraz are both iconic wines under Katnook Estate's labels. Expect a premium drop when you pick up a bottle of Katnook Estate.

Fourth and final winery of the day because let's face it, any more than four or five and your no…read morelonger tasting, you're just drinking!! Combine this with the tough drink driving laws in Australia and it's not worth overdoing it (note: it NEVER is, regardless of local laws!!) Katnook was my absolute favorite stop of the day! In the parking lot there is a fenced of section of ground that has been excavated away to show the various geological layers of the region, giving visitors a good indication of why the Coonawarra region is so special (hint: it's the soil). Upon entering the rating room you are invited to take a seat at the bar and the server is happy to walk you through as many or as few of their available tasting bottles as you like!! This is the only winery we tasted that had various vintages and estate wines available to taste and we did vertical tastings of one or two wines as well as tasting of the same grape at various estates which really demonstrated how different the same grape can be depending upon growing conditions. Most surprisingly, your also welcome to taste their two premiere wines, Prodigy and Odyssey, a Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon respectively that retail for $100 and are Langton V classified as excellent and outstanding again respectively. Very happy with our experience at Katnook! Don't miss this one if your tasting in the area!!

You probably need 2-3 days to enjoy the bevy of cellar doors in Coonawarra plus take in the…read moredelights and sights of this amazing Limestone region. Grab your friends or bring your interstate friends and hire a bus, and discover the thrill of Coonawarra and the region's best loved reds. A family run winery using only estate grown vines, they produce the flagship Patrick of Coonawarra range, Estate range and Mother of Pearl range which carries a unique and maritime influence. Beautiful and exquisite drop- a must visit!!

I'm a wine geek - a buff, a connosieur if you will allow me to toot my own horn a little. Patrick…read more(used to be called Patrick T) is a stand-out boutique winery in Penola. If you're a fan of Australian style red wine this is unmissable, although they have a range which could easily be considered must-try for just about any palette. My friends love the Mother of Pearl range which appeals to their bargain hunting insticts, however I'm dedicated to the Patrick of Coonawarra label. Every Cab Sauv I've tried on this label has blown my socks off. The tastings are conducted around a semi-circular bar which was just magic for our group of 10 last time, as it created an intimacy and communal experience you just don't acheive in a conventional line. You may overlook this one in favour of the famous names in this region, but if it's about the wine this will definately make it into the itinerary!

The Cellar Door is housed in the old stables on the Kidman property Limestone Ridge. The stables…read morewere built in 1859 and are a great link with the districts history. The vineyard spanning over 17 hectares boasts hand pruned vines which encourage probability of low yields. Kidman produces the Coonawarra Cab Sauvignon, Coonawarra Shiraz, Riesling and Sauv Blanc.

Third stop of the day and this winery like others was pretty quiet... Guessing Wednesday is not a…read morebusy tasting day here in Coonawarra which I guess makes a lot of sense since the area is 4+ hours from either Melbourne or Adelaide!! Zema was another friendly winery with a nice and relaxed atmosphere and a good number of wines available for tasting. Again, little to no tasting notes or history provided for any of the wines (starting to think this may be an Aussie thing) and tasting servings were tiny, barely a splash but we were invited to revisit anything we had a particular liking for. In the end, we bought a bottle of the Family Estate Shiraz which was bold in flavor and quite peppery and I'm very much looking forward to drinking a glass in the hotel in my pajamas later this afternoon!!

We love Zema Estate. We've been visiting here for years. The reds are extraordinary. It's a no…read morefrills place that weirdly never seems that popular. There's never much hype about the place despite the very serious quality of the wines which are reasonably priced. Perhaps it's because the family are usually a little brusque in my experience. There's not much ceremony or affability here. You just go in, taste their wonderful wines, don't engage in much small talk essentially due to indifference, purchase then leave. But as an old time customer, you'll thank the almighty when you pull the bottles out again as the wine is delectable. There's an honesty about the whole thing and it's more efficient than other cellar door visits. Long live Zema Estate. We love 'em.