Our top winery picks in SA’s most rollicking wine regions.

En route to South Australia!

South Australia is firmly on our getaway hit-list, and it should be on yours. Dubbed the Wine Capital of Australia, this trove of stellar sips and mouth-watering fare covers all the prerequisites we need to justify packing our bags and getting our sommelier on. A heavenly vault of most of this country’s wine, SA is like a historical, stupidly beautiful playground for fellow lovers of a good red, a good white, a long lunch and picturesque scenery. We’ll take all of the above please. 

Stints, staycations, or several months away – whatever the duration of your SA sojourn, we’ve compiled a list of five must-visit wineries and our fave Sunday Wine Co pours from each, so you can indulge all walks of wine paramours without leaving your kitchen!

ADELAIDE HILLS

The regional drop: The (Adelaide) hills are alive with the fruity, crisp acidity of the Jericho Fiano, in our “Fresh Whites” and “A Little Somethin Somethin” packs. We’ll be sipping on this gem before jetting off. 

BIRD IN HAND 

Just awarded the glorious title of Red Winemaker of the Year (International Wine Challenge 2019), this is where we suggest you get a rouge drop in hand on your SA tour. *Applauds.* Bird In Hand is a family-owned haven, which embodies the ethos of ‘awakening the senses, always’, whether it’s via their infamous lineup of cool-climate cultivated wines or jaw-dropping musical event lineups on an ephemeral stage. Wander through the original barrel hall, enjoy a maze of curated artworks or linger a little longer to sample ALL the antipasto platters with your gals. 

ASHTON HILLS

Ashton Hills has an international rep as one of Australia’s finest Pinot Noir producers, along with a bevy of riesling to revere and sparkling drops to cheers with. The rustic cellar door boasts stunning views over the Piccadilly Valley, so the sense of escape will feel sublimely palpable. For the grand tour, you and your squad will embark on ‘Act One’, an onsite wine and cheese christening (Hallelujah) and ‘Act Two’, a two-course lunch of dreams at Stanley Bridge Tavern restaurant. Act Two’s degustation sees all kinds of masterpieces like a confit mushroom gnocchi (*love heart eyes*), rolled pork belly and cheese for days. Sign.us.up

RIVERLAND

The regional drop: If you’re an avid rosé girl, we’re prescribing a sip of the Delinquenté Pretty Boy from our Pretty Pinks pack – a truly luscious fusion of sweet strawberries and crisp acidity. Plus a cheeky name and label. 

CAUDO VINEYARD

Now you can get your palate and your toes wet. Caudo Vineyard is smack-bang on the dreamy banks of the Murray River, making it the ideal destination to don a floaty dress this summer. An epitome of riverside R&R, here you can select from a wide selection of ‘lifestyle inspired wines’. Sounds right up our alley! They’ve even conjured up a Caudo Sangria, hankering for new, innovative and oh-so delicious ways to incorporate fruit from their orange orchard with their wines to bottle up the Riverland sunshine. Best bit? Cellar door access is via boat (yes please) and boasts some of the most glittering vistas you’ll see in the whole region.

KINGSTON ESTATE 

Winemaking and fun go hand in hand here, where you can choose from a fabulous plethora of activities on your SA escapades. Go for a tasting, grab some small plates to share (or hog to yourself) at the bluestone cellar door, frolic in the undulating gardens or book your crew in for a private tasting. The premise and promise is fun, good vibes and sheer indulgence from vine to bottle. You can read all about it here.

Winemaking and fun go hand in hand here, where you can choose from a fabulous plethora of activities on your SA escapades. Go for a tasting, grab some small plates to share (or hog to yourself) at the bluestone cellar door, frolic in the undulating gardens or book your crew in for a private tasting. The premise and promise is fun, good vibes and sheer indulgence from vine to bottle.

BAROSSA VALLEY

The regional drop: An aromatic Aussie Shiraz is destined to feature in your antipasto flatlay ‘gram. Turn to our ‘For the Foodie’ trio, featuring the deliciously full-bodied Barossa-hailing Gestalt Serotina Grenache Shiraz. 

KAESLER WINES

Got a penchant for history? Well, Kaesler Wines is steeped in the stuff. The bulk of their 37 hectares is made up of old vines ageing up to 125 years old (and still looking phenomenal). Known for their Old Bastard Shiraz, they purvey insanely evocative wines that capture the spirit of contemporary Australian winemaking where an individual vineyard site is the star. You can find us at the Kaesler Cellar Door embarking on a wine tasting spree and never coming home again. 

Always dreamed of running away and becoming a vintner (or falling in love with one)? Well, the time is now. Use this guide as the perfect rationale to book those flights and get SA bound. Enjoy! 

Sunday Wine Co x