The 5 Best Wine Getaways to Have in South Australia

Got an itinerary ready to investigate bold reds, celebrate crisp whites and explore South Australian attractions? Luxury accommodation is on stand-by in every region. Here, we've rounded up the best wine getaways to suit every palate.

For bold reds and destination dining

Stay at: The Louise, Barossa Valley

The Barossa Valley is a 55-minute drive from Adelaide Airport and a stay at The Louise (fresh from a $3m makeover) will put you in the heart of the region’s shiraz-heavy action. The property features 15 villa-style suites, the award-winning Appellation restaurant and an infinity pool overlooking the vineyards. The Louise’s Guest Experience Coordinator can organise a range of fun things to do during your stay such as a pasta-making cooking class at The Eatery Cooking School or hot air-ballooning across the valley.

Make a lunch reservation at nearby FINO at Seppeltsfield where kingfish, full-bodied reds and their famous Crèma catalana reign supreme and follow up with a tasting of the fabled The Laird shiraz at Torbreck, or book in at Alkina winery for the Polygon Project Experience. Here, you’ll learn (via tastings plus cheese and charcuterie) about how they’ve mapped the variations of their terroir – and the impact it has on vines. Need another meal to soak up all that goodness? The Atrium at Hentley Farm’s Discovery Menu (with wine pairing) showcases the best of local produce.

For wine bars and scenic drives

Stay at: Sequoia Lodge, Adelaide Hills

Nestled in the highlands of the Adelaide Hills, where sauvignon blanc dominates the landscape, is Sequoia, South Australia’s newest luxury – and adults only – sanctuary. Sitting just 20 minutes from Adelaide’s CBD, you’ll call one of the 14 suites, overlooking the Piccadilly Valley home. Spend your afternoons with a crisp vino in hand or unwind in one of the property’s spring-fed hot pools. Be sure to swing by the award-winning Hardy’s Verandah Restaurant, where a four-course meal with sommelier-matched wines lies in wait.

Jump in the car and venture further afield to explore the rolling hills (and wineries) across the Angas River Scenic Drive, stopping in at Biggs Flat – home to wellness brand Jurlique – and join a farm tour. Afterwards, enjoy the Museum Selection label at Adelaide Hills Wine Bar or quench your thirst at Uraidla Hotel where the wine list reads like an intriguing novella.

For urban wineries and festivals

Stay at: The Playford Adelaide – MGallery

South Australia’s capital is the city that has it all: world-class museums, renowned festivals and The Playford Adelaide – MGallery, a boutique 182-room property that evokes the Art Nouveau era. The hotel features a 24-hour fitness centre with heated pool plus the opulent, award-winning Luma Restaurant & Bar and is in close proximity to events and festivals such as the Adelaide Cabaret Festival.

Just eight kilometres from the CBD, you’ll find Penfolds Magill Estate Cellar Door. Book the “Iconic Penfolds Experience” to sample its iconic wines, including Grange, and taste your way through a three-course lunch at Magill Estate Kitchen. Local winery Oddio can be found in a 170-year-old church in industrial Bowden and provides a welcome tasting room for the makers behind the Delinquente, Frederick Stevenson and Giovanni Armani Giorgio labels.

For cool-climate drops and island splendour

Stay at: Southern Ocean Lodge, Kangaroo Island

Reopening in December 2023 following the 2020 bushfires – and taking bookings now – Southern Ocean Lodge is reaffirming its status as one of Australia’s truly exceptional retreats and signalling that Kangaroo Island, designated a wine region in 2000, is back in business.

There are now 25 suites laid out along the limestone cliffs above Hanson Bay. Snag the new ultra-premium Ocean Pavilion and you’ll have four bedrooms and bathrooms, a wet-edge pool and an oceanfront terrace to come home to. Meals change daily and are three- and four-course affairs of produce-driven dishes, with a large selection of Kangaroo Island wines.

Hire a car or ask the lodge to organise private transport to spend time cruising the cool-climate wineries. At False Cape Wines on the banks of the Willson River, fertile alluvial soils produce award-winning cabernet sauvignon and chardonnays, best sampled with the cellar door’s homemade pie. Taste Bordeaux winemaker Jacques Lurton’s Pétiyante (it’s French for bubbly) at The Islander Estate Vineyards at Cygnet River or nab a dozen fresh local oysters at Bay of Shoals Wines to eat in the garden alongside sips of 2019 riesling.

For riverfront luxury and family-owned wineries

Stay at: The Frames, Renmark

The mighty Murray River winds across the Riverland, giving life to its vineyards. This region, located 200 kilometres north-east of Adelaide, produces a large proportion of Australia’s wine-grapes but boutique wineries are focusing on premium wines. The Frames, three private luxury retreats situated on cliffs above the Murray in Renmark, fits right in with this new direction. Each unique space has a heated pool, barbecue and river-view balcony; The Montage Retreat even has an infrared sauna and a hydrotherapy spa. If indulgence is the objective, ask your hosts to book in-room spa treatments and a private chef.

Vineyards make up more than 20,000 hectares of the Riverland, thanks to its Continental climate. Visit Eric and Jenny Semmler who run 919 Wines, producing certified organic table wines and honeyed fortifieds. Whereas at Whistling Kite Biodynamic Wine, Pam and Tony Barich grow Gros Manseng, a dry yet creamy white with a hint of lemon zest.