The Barossa, just an hour's drive from Adelaide is known throughout the world as one of Australia's leading wine regions, boasting more than 60 wineries, ranging from quaint boutique cellar doors, to large international companies.
Established in 1842 by immigrants from England, Germany and Silesia (now part of Poland), the region's rich heritage is reflected in architecture, food and music - and internationally renowned wines. Around 500 grape growing families, many sixth generation, today continue to supply nearly 60,000 tonnes of grapes to about 50 winemakers - including household names like Seppelt, Penfolds and Lehmann.
For a truly classic Barossa wine experience, head to Peter Lehmann wines with its platters of produce on the banks of the Para River, and Yalumba with its sweeping lawns and impressive stone winery and clock tower. Head to the Rockford Wines for rustic charms and relaxed informality of Charles Melton, where you can see exactly how the wine is made and meet the people involved.
Make sure you visit Jacob's Creek Visitor Centre - a perfect example of how the Barossa balances the old with the new. There's a thoroughly modern tasting room, restaurant and gallery designed with the latest environmentally sustainable technology, built on the banks of the historic Jacob's Creek.
Don't miss Wolf Blass's sleek A-grade super winery and stunning visitor centre. The new tasting complex can offer wine lovers a wine appreciation experience at every level. On a much smaller and perhaps more traditional scale, classic and contemporary are being combined at many other cellar doors - Two Hands, Murray Street Vineyards and Kabminye Wines, are three well worth seeking out. They offer local produce as well as seriously good wines, all with a personal touch and smart design.
Neighbouring the Barossa is Eden Valley, which has a reputation for premium wines that take advantage of the higher altitude and cooler climate, through grapes including Riesling, Chardonnay, Shiraz, Merlot and Cabernet. Here you'll find five wineries with cellar doors, including the famed Henschke Wine Cellars.
The main red varieties grown in the Barossa are Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache, while the key white grape varieties are Riesling, Semillon and Chardonnay. Shiraz has pride of place because this is the birthplace of one of the world's great wines - Penfolds Grange.
McLaren Vale (today home to such eminent winegrowers as Chester Osborn and Geoff Merrill) has become one of Australia's premier wine-producing districts, particularly renowned for its full-bodied reds.
The area is dotted by more than 60 cellar doors, most of which are shop fronts for small to medium-size boutique operations but also include such major Australian players as the BRL Hardy group and Rosemount. About 270 independent grape growers can also be found here.
Shiraz is a specialty, as are Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache, while Merlot is becoming increasingly popular as a varietal. Chardonnay dominates the white varieties but Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling are also gaining kudos, and experimentation is taking place with Viognier, Marsanne and Sangiovese.
The Adelaide Hills is not only one of South Australia's best wine treasures, but one of Australia's.
More than 60 wineries in the Adelaide Hills are continuing a tradition that started back in 1845, when a hock from Echunga became Australia's first wine export (it was sent to Queen Victoria but no-one's sure if she was brave enough to taste it).
Today, some of Australia's most elegant cool climate sparkling and still wines are produced here, from grape varieties including: Chardonnay and Pinot Noir for sparkling and table wines in the coolest areas; Riesling, Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot in the slightly warmer areas; and Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Shiraz in the lower altitudes.
Twenty-five cellar doors offer wine tastings and sales, including premier labels: Hahndorf Hill Winery, Longview Vineyard, Chain of Ponds, Shaw & Smith and Petaluma's.
A taste of Tuscany in the Adelaide Hills, Chain of Ponds Wines's famous vineyard balcony boasts fabulous views and north Italian-influenced cuisine. Sit with a glass of wine or enjoy watching a friendly game of petanque on the immaculately presented piste.
Shaw & Smith boasts a stunning tasting room where you can enjoy the signature sauvignon blanc. Enjoy plenty of fresh air and beautiful surrounds at this different cellar door experience.
For pure indulgence, enjoy tastings at Petaluma's, a prominent Australian specialist premium wine producer, located in the beautifully restored Bridgewater Mill with its 'Big Rumbler' water wheel, first turning in 1860
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