A lovely place for wine tasting with a bite to eat (charcuterie platter). They were friendly with…read moreour kiddos and the ambiance was relaxing and easy.

Aloha, as we ubered through the Adelaide Hills wine-tasting, our last stop Shaw & Smith. We've…read morehad these wines before so were happy to sit down for a small charcuterie platter with our wines, nice. We did 2 tastings of the higher end & regular, both were very nice. A beautiful modern building, so nice to sit & sip looking out over the hills of vines. I felt so happy & peaceful here. An absolutely beautiful setting. Mahalo

We stopped into the restaurant for lunch and ordered the chef's harvest menu…read more The first course, pastrami and duck pate were great. Tender, savory and creamy dishes were a nice match and delicious! If that's all we ordered this would have been a 5 star review. Unfortunately the rest of the meal was just average. The pork dish was good but the fish course didn't match the flavors of the other courses. Overall it was nice but nothing memorable except the pastrami.

A beautiful location in the Adelaide Hills a must stop. Great service! A wonderful tasting. Outdoor…read moreseating, beautiful views

Blink and you'll miss it. An unassuming house with a lot of cacti on the front verandah and a huge…read moreshed out back full of vintage cars, mismatched chairs, a record player and a make shift bar makes for the eclectic By Jingo Cellar Door. Non-standard wines come from your standard wine regions: Adelaide Hills, McLaren Vale and Barossa. Aiming to introduce unique flavours and blends of Montepulciano, Zinfandel, Nero d'Avola and Mendoza Chardonney, the influence of Italian and Spanish varietals are heavy. Service was friendly and patient, as well as willing to explain all of the varieties available for tasting which was helpful for wines I wasn't familiar with. I don't actually think they are a full-time cellar door on the weekdays or weekends but if they are around they seem more than willing to give you a taster! Check Facebook before you go to find out opening hours. They also host monthly weekend cellar door events that involve other local Adelaide Hills friends like Prancing Pony and SA food trucks like Haddo's Dogs or Loca Pops. These are probably the best light to see By Jingo in as it makes the drive up there worth it and adds even more personality to this quirky little cellar door, come storage shed.

I recently attended a wedding at Howard. It was a picnic-themed affair, which meant it was really…read morecasual (think people sitting on the grass or on chairs outside, no formal seating or dinner). The food was passed on trays by staff, but was brought in by an outside caterer, so I won't comment on that. The winery staff were efficient, but not all that friendly. It was a very hot day, so I completely understand that we were all a little uncomfortable, but I really thought that if you are hosting a wedding function, you might like to smile a bit more and be a little more approachable. On the flip side, the wines were lovely and flowed freely all night. Staff attended to requests for refills or wine samples promptly, and the event coordinator who was working with the couple was, by all reports, very helpful and friendly. My partner and I drove back to Howard the day after the wedding to pick up the leftover cake for the bride and groom, and the staff were great about bringing it out to us and asking for feedback on the night before. I'd like to go back to the winery for a wine tasting and get more of a feel for how the place runs on a regular day.

From the owner: Howard Vineyard and the Pardalote Bistro lie just outside of Nairne in the Adelaide Hills, around…read more20 minutes drive from the tollgate at the top of Glen Osmond Road. We specialise in elegant reds and clean crisp whites, complemented by the contemporary seasonal menu of our Chef, Katie Otto. Our venue, nestled into the vines and overlooking spacious lawns, seats over 100 and is built around the remains of a stone barn to provide a rustic dining experience. Our cellar door offers tastings, generous platters and excellent coffee 7 days per week, with our restaurant providing its al-a-carte menu Wednesday through Sunday.

The most recent time that we visited Nepenthe was for the Annual Winter Reds Festival. This event…read moreis becoming more and more popular, and a large number of cellar doors are opening both unticketed and ticketed events to the public to showcase just how good it is to sit around a fire with a tasty glass of red wine and enjoy some downtime in the hills. Nepenthe was pumping on this particular day. The shed was full of willing punters, who were incidentally also trying to stay warm out of the rain (this particular day was wet. As in, non-stop showers all afternoon wet) but the cellar door was also accessible for those of us who were a little more tame in their celebrations. The wines are really good. The sauvignon blanc, the shiraz and the cabernet all have their own charms, at a reasonable price too. They had TacoCat the food van in attendance to feed the starving (or just curious) masses, and DJ in tow to keep the party going into the night. The festival is a 2 day affair, and we visited on the Saturday, so they were open until 8pm. Some, if not most, of the wineries close around 5pm. On previous visits, we have really enjoyed the sunshine on the hill by the tree. The view is to die for. You can see clear out to Balhannah/Woodside and beyond. Once you settle in to your first glass of wine and take a deep whiff of the grass under your toes, you will want to stay a while.

From the owner: The vineyards of Nepenthe & our growers have been carefully chosen to deliver the highest quality…read morefruit for award winning wine

Absolutely love this cellar door a fav!! Walked away with a dozen. Great family service. Don't miss…read morethis stop when your in Hahndorf.

Wandered in to Somerled Cellar Door after visiting the cellar door attached to the hahndorf inn and…read moreseeing Somerled on a map of the Adelaide Hills wine region. So glad my husband and I stumbled upon this absolute gem!!! We originally came in looking for a tasting of a few reds. We each did the red tasting, which consisted of a Pinot noir rose, Pinot noir dry red, cab Sauvignon and their flagship Shiraz. All of the wines were awesome! So awesome that we decided to join the jockey club to receive a case per year (yes....so good that we are having the case shipped across the world back to the USA!). The jockey club comes with tasting notes and recipes paired with each wine/vintage. Such a cool and fun way to experience the wine. After joining the club, we also each got a half glass of the shiraz (more like a full glass) and got to try a few other wines that we would be getting in our shipment. Loved the atmosphere of the cellar door and appreciate it is family run. The winemaker, his wife, and daughter were all in the cellar door talking to us as well as the locals grabbing a glass. What a wonderful spot and family-run business. Highly highly recommend stopping in here!!

Wow! I googled this place in anticipation of writing the first review, because I'd never heard of…read moreit last year and it is slightly off the beaten track, but lo and behold, it wasn't even registered as a business on Yelp! So here it is! I also wanted to review this place in anticipation of the upcoming Winter Reds Festival that takes place annually in the winter all around the Adelaide Hills. If you can get along to VPW, I highly recommend it. The cellar door is a family-run operation and everyone who works here is charming and friendly. The place itself is also charming and cosy, and you could be forgiven for wanting to stay overnight after you've enjoyed their wine range! (although being serious, I think you'll have to look down the road for accomodation) They seem to enjoy doing french-themed light meals (last year's Winter Reds they did a coq au vin (that's chicken in wine for all you non-Frenchies!) and they also did a French themed food spread at Crush 2015 this year but I was busy out at Longview so I missed it!) and the wines are interesting and tasty. As they say, their wines are 'premium, elegant, cool climates Adelaide Hills wines'. They are definitely, as they have also self-described, a 'chic boutique'! In that the wines are all small batch production, and the Cellar Door is only open on the 4th weekend of every month (and not open every month either!) but if they are open for the Winter Reds Festival, I highly recommend getting in for some good ol' fashioned home cooked winter treats and cracking vino!

Boutique wines, tasting table and friendly staff; This is what to expect at Adelaide Hills Wine…read moreCentre. Be sure to keep a look out, it's easy to miss! It is set just to the left and behind the Hahndorf Inn. Look for a barn looking building near the car parks. The set up is very cute, an old barn with modern touches. The walls are lined with gorgeous bottles and a fridge is keeping the whites cooled. The staff are attentive and very knowledgeable. If you want to learn more about viticulture or the wine region, you need only ask. The staff are very passionate about promoting what is special in the store. As for wine, a great collection awaits you. There are some main stream wines here, but also a fab collection of boutique drops. These wines will not be found at chain bottle stores. You need to go to independent bottle stores like this one. They are very particular about where they sell their wines. Also know that you will commonly find a tasting on the busy weekends, so that is always a bonus! Love this Wine Centre, it's small but impressive!

The wine tasting I attended last Saturday was simply stunning! Our guide in the adventure was Jack…read moreS. who began with a wonderful history lesson on the joys of mead (Egyptian invention) and a stunning and refreshing iced mead infused with lemon, strawberry, and cucumber. What a perfect way to cleanse the palate and cool off after strolling in Historic Hahndorf during an unseasonable 39 degree day! Next we tasted three equally stunning wines - two of which were standouts, the Hahndorf Hills Winery rose' (2015) and the Kersbrook Hill premium cab sav cuvee. Both, while very different were stunning! The rose was light and fruity (watermelon, cherry) without being overly sweet. A great pair for spicier cuisine (Indian, Asian) or with bold cheese (think blue cheese). The cab sav could easily serve as a welcome beverage upon a guests arrival or paired with seafood (shrimp, crab). Again - STUNNING!!

Down an alleyway just off the start of main road in Hahndorf you will find a little cottage tucked…read moreaway that is the home for Scott & La Prova Cellar Door. A traditional style German cottage has been transformed into a chic and modern style cellar door. The exterior seems to draw you in, as if you were visiting your friend's home. Outside you will find a few small tables you can enjoy with a friend and a nice glass of vino. Inside you will find some very welcoming staff and wine enthusiasts with a long tasting table set up for tasting and waiting for your arrival. The décor is styled in a very thoughtful way; displaying some cute succulents in glass jars and plants in paper bags. Very up to date with modern décor, but still with a cottage feel with cool old arm chairs. As for the tasting, well (like any cellar door should) they have a glass set up for each taste. I get annoyed when you are made to use the same glass for each wine. I think it is important through a tasting experience that you do not have reminisce interfering with the taste of the next wine. The staff are very knowledgeable and passionate about their produce and brand. You can see that they are love sharing their expertise and welcoming new comers to their wine. As for the wine, well you can see why they are so proud. In particular, you must buy a bottle of the La Prova Garanega. This is a unique wine as generally this grape is mixed with others. Lightly sweet and a touch dry; a simple but comfortable wine, quite easy on the palate. Oh, and also as a treat, the tasting is served with a goats cheese and lavosh. Ahhhh heaven! I would definitely recommend stopping at this cellar door anytime you visit Hahndorf. I might actually turn into a regular taster!

In the obnoxiously manicured main street that is Hahndorf-festival-for-tourists there lies a few…read morelittle places that are more than worth a visit. One of these havens offers a series of nice drops split into two different labels. The La Prova Nero from a couple of years back aced it, no sorry - nailed it. The varietals are Italian in origin, and are nice and decently priced, coupled with nibbling platters (a tad small, so get ready to get lunch somewhere else), offer a nice place to hide from the crowds. Definitely try their wines, the staff don't bite.

The best South Australian sparkling wine is found here…read more Tastings by appointment only, in a beautiful kitchen with views to the dry-grown vines and pet guinea fowl, Champagne addicts and foodies Rod and Rachel make beautiful, Old World style wines with the highlight being their transcendant sparkling made from their Chardonnay grapes. Their blanc de blanc is disgorged to order, crown capped and the date of disgorgement carefully labelled by hand: at $45 a bottle it offers superior value and flavour over the common NV Moet et Chandon. Their shiraz is also delicious: elegant yet full of spicy red fruit flavours, and excellent with duck.