Barossa and Clare Valley Highlights

Barossa Valley 

No one does the Barossa quite like the Barossa. Enjoy a multitude of world-class wineries on a day tour or stroll down the charming main street of Tanunda and discover quirky boutiques, antique stores, and gourmet eateries. Sip world-class wine while gazing over picturesque rows of vineyards and check out the view from Mengler’s Hill Lookout then explore the Barossa Sculpture Park below. With over 150 cellar doors in the region, choose your itinerary as this is all about personal preference depending on your taste and palate. Visitors flock to the famous Barossa Valley, consistently, year after year to experience the world-class cellar doors and increasingly incredible local produce. Not to mention the stunning landscape and fascinating history of the region. 

While the region is obviously known for its countless award-winning wines, gin distilleries have also begun to make their mark here too. One such one being Durand Distillery. Conveniently located on the Maggie Beer Farm estate, Premium Australian Craft Gin Distiller, Brett Durand, offers South Australia’s first craft gin distilling experience in the form of the Barossa Gin School, or a guided masterclass some may say. Here, visitors can unleash their inner mad scientist and create their very own personalised gin, right down to proudly wax sealing their signature bottle at the end. Be as traditional or creative as you like with ingredients like local lavender, rosemary, ginger root, star anise and exotic dried berries. The lesson is also complemented by a 3-course meal at The Eatery while the gin works its magic in the hand-made Italian copper stills. Another Barossa must do.

• Hentley Farm: This award-winning restaurant offers a gastronomic journey of exceptional proportions with their superb degustation menu with paired wines. 
• Rockfords: Great cosy little cellar door with a beautiful, popular Rose and sought-after Basket Press Shiraz.
• Maggie Beer’s Farm Shop: How could you not include this on your list? Wander the shop and taste the products, engage in the free daily demonstrations and come away with some quality gifts for family and friends, or keep them for yourself.
• Kalleske Wines: Offering handcrafted organic wines for the health-conscious connoisseurs with organic wine production very much on the radar. $20 per person gets you a flight of six organic wines each paired with a gourmet produce tasting.
• Penfolds: Famous for their diversity of red wine, Penfold’s certainly needs to be on your top places to visit! The success of Penfolds has been driven by generations ever since 1844
• Seppeltsfield: Located on the Western Ridge of the Barossa Valley Seppeltsfield has over 420 acres of ancient vineyard gardens and architecture. Ever since 1850 Seppeltsfield has flourished as their range of wine has diversified into liquor and staple spirits such as Brandy, Gin and Vermouth. While you’re here, be sure to try a tawny from your birth year. 

Clare Valley

Just 100kms north of Adelaide, the Clare Valley is home to Ngadjuri indigenous people and was first settled by Europeans in the early 1840s. Nowadays it is home to almost 10,000 people and nearly 50 separate wineries! You’ll find cellar doors between Auburn and Clare along a stunning 40km corridor. Clare Valley is most known for its expertise in white wine. This is due to Clare’s cooler climate than most other wine-growing regions in South Australia, allowing the harvest of cool-climate white grapes, particularly Riesling which the valley has become famous for. But what is a glass of wine without a paired meal to go with it? Long winey lunches are a must-do to plan during your stay in the Clare Valley. 

Hire a bike and explore the natural beauty and renowned wineries found along the Riesling Trail including the refurbished Pikes Wines cellar door and restaurant. Step back in time while staying in a historic Miner’s Cottage in the nearby town of Burra and take in the impressive view from the Quarry Hill Lookout.

Clare Valley Must Do:

• Mr Mick Cellar Door & Kitchen: Right in the heart of the Clare Valley Mr Mick Cellar Door & Kitchen is known for combining food, wine and art.  
• Pike Wines: On top of the very soils that produce some of Australia’s finest Riesling, a visit to Slate Restaurant at Pike Wines delivers a chef-hatted feast of Modern Australian with European twit in every drool-worthy dish. 
• O’Leary Wines: A generous gourmet platter overlooking the vines in on the menu when you visit O’Leary Wines! You’ll also find their newly renovated restaurant celebrating seasonality and provenance of produce. 
• Taylors Wines: One of the oldest wineries in the Clare Valley Taylors Wines have rafted impeccable Australian wines for three generations. This idyllic valley is famed for producing elegant red wines along with world renowned Rieslings. Enjoy beautifully manicured winery gardens with a glass of wine and cheese platter on arrival with perhaps a game of boules on the vineyard lawn. 
• Sevenhill Cellars: The first winery ever built in the Clare Valley & one of the eldest in Australia, Sevenhill Cellars specialize in wines that express authentic taste, styles and flavors. 
• Riesling Trail: The renowned Clare Valley Riesling Trail is 35km long, traversing the picturesque views of Auburn, Clare Valley and Sevenhill. This trail is suitable for recreational walkers, mountain and touring bikes. 

Click Here to view our range of accommodation in the Barossa & Clare Valley. Contact our team on 1800 810 910 or email shortbreaks@holidaysofaustralia.com.au