FAQs

Wine Tours are predominantly wine focussed. Culinary experineces are more general tours focussing on wine, food and/or sightseeing and leisure activities. Wine Country 2+ Days tours give you options to tour wine regions over a few days or for example take a walking or cycling tour, or combine a few day tours into a longer tour.

A share tour, also known as a small group tour, is suitable for two people and up to a maximum of five persons.
Share tours can be joined by individuals and/or couples. Share tours are also a more economical way to travel.
Private tours, also known as Private Experience Tours, are exclusive and flexible. They cater for individuals specific tastes and preferences.

There are 5 main wine regions in SA

• Adelaide Hills
• Barossa Valley
• Coonawarra
• Clare Valley
• McLaren Vale

Please check our map for more detail

The wine regions are between 30 minutes and 4 hours away by car.

• Adelaide Hills are 30 minutes east of Adelaide
• Barossa Valley is 1¼ hours north east of Adelaide
• Coonawarra is 4 hours south east of Adelaide
• Clare Valley is 1¾ hours directly north of Adelaide
• McLaren Vale is 40 minutes south of Adelaide

• The Barossa Valley has an international reputation. Four large wine companies are based there with Shiraz red wine the most well-known variety produced. Dry Riesling is also produced close by at Eden Valley.
  The Clare Valley is famous for its Riesling
• McLaren Vale produces red varieties like Shiraz and Grenache.
• The Coonawarra is famous its for Cabernet.
• The Adelaide Hills are best known for their white varieties, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.

The Barossa Valley tour can be completed comfortably in one day. It is also possible to combine the Adelaide Hills and Barossa, or Adelaide Hills and McLaren Vale regions.

The Coonawarra region is further away. You will need two days to tour this region, or include it as part of the Great Ocean Road tour.

The Adelaide Hills region is ideal if travel time is short. McLaren Vale is also possible for a half day tour.

Our 2 or 4 hour Insiders Adelaide city walking tours around the city are also ideal if you only have a short time.

I have 4 small group tours , these operate with a minimum of 2 and maximum of 5 people. These tours leave from the city but many can be picked up from the wine regions with time cut off at beginning and end of day, to allow for travelling time to and from city. Private tours can tailored to suit whatever guests request.

• You can join share tours from most wine regions (excluding Clare Valley and Coonawarra).
• Of course private tours can be organised to all regions!

We understand that wine tours are not appropriate for everyone so we combine hands-on food experiences and cooking schools with our wine experiences. We also offer more active experiences such as walking, cycling, golf and hot air ballooning.

We want guests to do things they can’t do at home, to immerse themselves in our Australian lifestyle, meet locals and travel off the beaten track, if desired.

You can experience life like a local in our city, enjoy health, wellness and spa experiences or experience our beaches and wildlife.

We encourage our guests to follow their passions! Please fill in our enquiry form to let us know how you would best enjoy your stay.

If you are on your own, consider joining one of our share tours. If you are flexible with your days we may be able to accommodate you on an existing tour or arrange a private tour for you. We offer tour programs ideal for singles too! Please fill in our enquiry form so we can contact you with options.

We are often asked what to wear to a wine tasting. In the towns and cities of Australia, casual wear is the way to go. We are not a country that embraces formal attire, however if your tour includes fine dining in the evening, smart casual attire or cocktail attire will suffice. Dress restrictions for some wineries list no thongs (flip flops), singlets (tank tops) or cut-off shorts to encourage smart casual attire.

Here are our top tips on what to wear on to a wine tasting.

As a general guideline the weather in South Australia tends to be sunny and dry most of the year and chilly during winter. Please refer to the average temperatures below and check an online hourly weather report for the locations you will be visiting on the day of your tour.

Smart Casual

• Australian wine country attire is typically the smart end of casual.
• For ladies a sundress, skirt and top or blouse and pants. Dressy jeans are acceptable.
• Men typically wear dressy shorts with a collared t-shirt or pants/dressy jeans with a collared shirt.

Sun Protection

• Wear sunscreen year round. The UV index in Australia is significantly higher than most areas in the world.
• We recommend you bring sunglasses and a hat, particularly in summer.

Dress in Layers

• If you are visiting South Australia in the warmer months, be prepared. Daily temperatures fluctuate significantly in wine country so it’s always a good idea to bring a jumper (sweater) or a light jacket.
• Some areas have micro-climates so you may experience temperature differences within some short geographical distance.
• The temperature can drop significantly in the evening, even in summer, so be prepared.
• Winter can be chilly so layer for comfort. Wear a few layers so for maximum comfort you can match your layers to the temperature throughout the tour.
• A rain jacket is rarely required. June is the wettest month of the year and averages only 80 mm (3.1 inches) of rain. If you are visiting in winter you may like to bring an umbrella or borrow an umbrella from the hotel.

Footwear

• Wear comfortable shoes.
• Depending on your tour you may be standing at some wineries.
• The entrance to most wineries is gravel, lawn or uneven surfaces such as cobblestone.
• If your tour includes a vineyard tour the ground may be soft. Don’t wear heels!

Final Tips: It is recommended not to wear white on a wine tasting tour if you will be tasting red wines. Wear colors and fabrics that can recover from a red wine stain, just in case! You can bring your own water bottle and we will supply refills. Or bottled water is also offered complimentary.

We can visit The Adelaide Central Market for a food adventure! We can go through the museum with our Aboriginal guide Hayden who has a teaching background. We can travel through the Adelaide Hills to arrive at the charming German village of Hahndorf where we will find great wineries, cheese and chocolate makers.

There are a lot of experiences around Hahndorf and Adelaide to keep everyone entertained! Children will enjoy picking strawberries while parents taste wine at Shaw and Smith Winery, Balhannah. Parents can also taste wine at Somelad with winemakers, while children are next door with a guide on a cheesemaker’s tour.

The possibilities are almost endless, but here’s a sample!

• Meet winemakers for an in-depth experience exploring the icons of Australian wine!
• Ride a Harley-Davidson Barossa Valley trike for an exhilarating couple of hours.
• Walk or cycle through the Adelaide Hills to wineries off the beaten track.
• Fly in a hot air balloon over the Barossa Valley at sunrise, watching kangaroos across the fields.
• Make your own blend. Put on a white lab coat and blend your own bottle! Taste 100 year old port or one from the year of your birth.
• Make cheese, shop with chefs at a farmers market, meet the locals, then cook your selected ingredients at cooking school.
• Visit a traditional smokehouse. Watch lachsschinken, mettwurst and other traditional meats being smoked, and make your own sausages!
• Taste what is considered Australia’s best pizza made with these famous local meats.
  Pamper yourself at the local spa which offers a bath in red wine!

South Australia has a Mediterranean climate, with warm, dry summers and mild winters. Adelaide experiences mild winters and a warm, dry summer. It has an average maximum temperature of 29°C (84.2°F) in summer and 15 – 16°C (59 – 60.8°F) in winter.

Adelaide Average Temperatures by Season

Summer (December – February)
During summer, average temperatures range from 16.7 – 28.6°C (62 – 83.5°F) and rainfall is sparse. Occasionally temperatures can soar to 40°C (104°F). Adelaide enjoys the lowest humidity of any Australian city.

Autumn/Fall (March – May)
In autumn, the weather is pleasant with average temperatures between 12.7 – 22.7°C (55 – 73°F) and very little rainfall. The city and countryside take on a red, orange and golden hue.

Winter (June – August)
In winter, average temperatures drop to between 8 – 16°C (46.5 – 60.8°F), and frosts are common in the nearby Adelaide Hills. June is the wettest month, averaging around 80 mm (3.1 inches), however Adelaide is the driest of all the Australian capitals.

Spring (September – November)
Spring sees weather warm up with average temperatures between 11.8 – 22°C (53.2 – 71.6°F). Rainfall is low but evenings can be quite brisk as temperatures drop quickly.