ULTIMATE Melbourne, Coonawarra Wineries and Adelaide Package

WOMADelaide 600+ Artists from 30+ countries, 7 stages, 4 days… – World Of Music Arts & Dance – is an iconic open-air festival celebrating cultural discovery in the heart of Adelaide’s stunning Botanic Park. Full details here.

Tasting Australia  April to May is a celebration of eating and drinking. It is a showcase of all things South Australian: produce,  people, and place. Each year they invite audiences to step beyond a standard food festival and discover deliciously different experiences that feed their curiosity. Whether you crave long lunches with friends feasting on sumptuous produce, award-winning beverages served fireside at Town Square or menus created by world-class chefs – it’s all there! Details here. 

Illuminate Adelaide: A celebration of art, light, music and technology Australia’s newest major winter event is a beacon, an invitation, a city-wide spectacle of art, light, sound, and imagination, daring you to shake off the winter blues and rekindle a sense of wonder. Shining a light on South Australia from June – July, details here.

The annual Barossa Vintage Festival runs over four fun days in April with more than 70 stallholders at the event. A highlight on the event calendar, it displays, engages and celebrates the region’s wine, food, culture and heritage. Captivating the attention of visitors and locals alike, the Festival is an opportunity to soak up the Barossa way of life, a wonderful celebration of place, family, generational traditions, creativity, innovation, abundance and resilience. The characters of South Australia tell the stories of the event’s significant history while looking to the future with enthusiasm. A much-loved tradition since 1947, and South Australia’s largest regional Festival, the Barossa Vintage Festival is a chance to eat, drink, stay and play in the Barossa! The bi-ennial festival showcases all that is Barossa over five-event filled days. Barossa Vintage Festival will be held in 2027! – details here.  

Adelaide:

Reform distilling
Reform was born when two Adelaide-raised brothers caught up over a gin & tonic, reminiscing and sharing emerging passions and ideas. Located in Adelaide’s eastern suburbs, Reform’s mission was to
create a relaxed, unstructured space where locals could enjoy a range of bespoke gins and urban Kent Town vibes. All of the bespoke gins are created in-house with locally sourced produce, with a mission to be as community-focused as possible, right down to the South Australian tonic they serve in their mind-blowing G+T’s. Enjoy a chat at the bar, a seat in front of the roaring fire or a catch-up with an old friend. Reform Distilling details here.

Kiin
Created by hospitality greats Ben Bertei and David Wickwa, Kiin (Thai for ‘eat’) brings a taste of modern Thai cuisine to Adelaide/Tarntanya. The menu reflects Bertei’s extensive experience with the Thai cuisine. Dishes include turmeric, ginger and brie arancini to start, followed by white peach ‘som tum’, and charred Port Lincoln squid with yellow curry butter sauce, lemongrass and lime leaf. Located in the heart of the CBD with frontage that opens onto Angas Street, the restaurant has a charming appeal and inviting atmosphere sure to beguile any curious passers-by. Head to Kiin’s website to book your night out at one of Adelaide’s hottest new restaurants.

High tea cafes:
The Queen Of Adelaide, opened July 2022 Grote Street in the CBD, offering a selection of sweet treats and beverages.
This elegant cafe is perfect for those who enjoy the finer things in life, with a selection of different high tea options to suit every occasion and price range. For adults, prices start at $55 per person for a traditional high tea experience and will go up to $80 for the fancier spread with champagne included. For more information, visit the website. Book High Tea here
On Facebook – Queen of Adelaide on Facebook

Cielo: Located in Adelaide Arcade, Cielo is the brainchild of 23-year-old Chaveli Goya, a trained pastry chef who holds a passion for the finer things in life with a humble twist. Throughout Chaveli’s childhood, she recalls fond memories engaging delightful cups of tea with her Abuelita (grandma) and the warmth that is derived from both the tea and the bonding. It’s these moments that sparked the inspiration behind Chaveli’s business venture. The old-world Adelaide Arcade location couldn’t be more suited to a high tea room. Cielo’s crisp white walls make for the perfect backdrop in order to let the divine cakes and pastries glow, while
the gold gilded Victorian Era frames bring elegance to the room. Bookings at Cielo here.

Bar riot. Sustainable wine company Riot Wine Co, now has a CBD outpost with Bar Riot opening in the centre of Adelaide/Tarntanya. Located on Gilbert Street, Riot Wine Co’s adventurous food menu features dishes such as pig’s head croquettes, Molotov cake and sardines with chorizo salsa matcha, all made to compliment the company’s signature tap wines served out of a 1000-litre terracotta wine vase, custom-crafted and shipped from Italy. The wine vase is the focal point for the bar, tying in with the pastel pink seats and open-air stone kitchen. Book a sitting now via the Bar Riot website.

Dolly, a new disco-inspired bar and eatery, has opened in Unley, one of Adelaide/Tarntanya’s trendiest suburbs. The sleek new bar is located just south of the CBD on the ground floor of a sleek new apartment complex. Created by the team behind Bar Lune, Dolly is the perfect spot for your next night out, offering share-style snack bites and a crafty cocktail menu. The cocktail list features inspired creations
like The Parton with gin, elderflower, chartreuse, apple and lemon and Pandanic mixing pandan-infused white rum, macadamia and pineapple. Whether you’re looking to have a drink, for something delicious to eat, a boogie with friends, or all of the above, Dolly brings all the vibes with a touch of disco. Make your booking at the Dolly website

A rooftop bar complete with sweeping city views, find yourself the best sunset seats in the house at Merrymaker. Located next to the bustling Adelaide Central Markets, Merrymaker is Adelaide’s highest rooftop bar. Situated on the rooftop of the unique boutique hotel, Hotel Indigo, Merrymaker showcases 25 different gins, creative cocktails and some of SA’s best wine and craft bars. I’ve been – recommend on a balmy night for drinks and pizza…

Craft Beer: Adelaide: inner city Adelaide has a raft of craft beer outlets including the following microbreweries (made, consumed and sold onsite):

• • • Mismatch Brewing

  I had the pleasure of visiting Mismatch Brewing Co. out at Lot 100 in the Adelaide Hills. Now they are in town too. Their comment “This is more of Brew Pub model with a small kit so we can do some exclusive fun and wonderful beers” I can thoroughly recommend!

  • • • Lady Burra Brewhouse Bar & Kitchen
      • Age Gate – Malt Shovel Taphouse

  Within 5kms from the city centre are the following:

  • • • Brewery and Tap Room Bar | Little Bang Brewing Co. | Stepney
      • Bowden Brewing
      • The Suburban Brew

  Just a 50 minute drive northeast of Adelaide, the Barossa is an internationally-acclaimed wine region encompassing the towns of Tanunda, Angaston and Nuriootpa. From tasting the official best wine in the world to sipping a local drop that’s as old as you or soaring over some of the oldest vines in the world, discover it all in the Barossa. Wander into over 80 cellar doors, sample some of the most awarded wines in the world and dig into sumptuous local produce. For the ultimate foodie’s adventure, take the Epicurean Way road trip through the best of the Barossa, and beyond.

  Barossa: Even though the wine is SENSATIONAL, it’s not all about just that in the Barossa. Taste and take a few beers back to your cottage too. Based in the beautiful Barossa Valley, the Rehn Bier micro-brewery is a must visit for those who love craft beer. Rehn Bier utilise traditional brewing methods and take a ‘hands-on’ approach, with every step of the brewing process taken care of in-house; ensuring full flavoured, authentic beers. Initially selling at the local farmers markets and to a few cafes and bars, demand quickly outgrew capacity and in late 2017 a new brewhouse was commissioned in a commercial shed on Magnolia Street in Tanunda. The wide range of styles, all produced on the premises offer something for everyone, from Pale Ale to Extra Stout, to Belgian style Abbey Ale & Smokey IPA. Seasonal releases add to the range.
  With 12 beer taps, plus a range of takeaway bottles, the Brewhouse Cellar Door is a casual & welcoming spot, ideal for a quiet beer with friends. 23 Magnolia Street Tanunda, open 11am to 5pm every day.

  Gin Tasting Experience, Seppeltsfield Road Distillers Experiences: Discover the award-winning releases of Seppeltsfield Road Distillers at their Barossa Valley Distillery & Tasting Room. The brain-child of the gin-loving, husband and wife duo, Jon and Nicole Durdin, Seppeltsfield Road Distillers’ range of gins have been praised both locally and internationally, earning them more than 60 medals, alongside being named Australian Gin Distiller of the Year in 2018. Guests are invited to partake in a relaxed tasting flight, where they can enjoy four gins (including the Barossa Shiraz Gin) by tasting through each one neat, with ice, and as a mini-G&T. Bookings are $20 per person, guarantee your space for an hour, and include your Premium Gin Tasting Experience. 436 Seppeltsfield Road Marananga

  Jacob’s Creek: Partake in great tasting wines and a rich history, all while taking in breathtaking vineyards and views of the Barossa Ranges. Featuring immersive wine experiences, exploring wines from across their series including from the ‘Our Limited Release’ range which is exclusive to the on site Cellar Door.

  Enjoy the perfect picnic packed for you, including a selection of food from local producers, a bottle of Jacob’s Creek wine, recyclable cutlery and plates and a picnic blanket to keep. Take your pick of the best picnic spots. Also includes a $10pp tasting flight.
  Barossa Valley Way, Rowland Flat

  
  Seppeltsfield: I have visited – it’s a FANTASTIC spot! Taste Tawny Port directly from the barrel, visit the striking cellar door, and explore the grounds of this grand Barossa Estate.
  Seppeltsfield is the only winery in the world to release a 100-year-old, single vintage wine each year. It is famous for its Centennial Collection – an unbroken lineage of Tawny of every vintage from 1878 to the current year. At the Seppeltsfield Centennial Cellar you can taste Tawny made in your birth year directly from the barrel, table reds released in small batches from the historic 1888 Gravity Flow Winery, or the renowned 100-year-old Para Vintage Tawny. The Cellar Door is located in the redeveloped 1900 Seppelt Bottling Hall, showcased in a world-class blend of historical and contemporary architecture. The Seppeltsfield Estate is home to a vibrant Barossa community of wine, food, art and beauty, highlighted by Seppeltsfield’s world-class cellar door & tasting rooms, FINO Restaurant, JamFactory Contemporary Art & Design studios and Vasse Virgin Skin care.
  730 Seppeltsfield Road, Seppeltsfield, Australia, 5355

  Blending and degustation. The d’Arenberg Cube is a five storey multi-function building set among Mourvèdre vines. The building has the optical illusion of floating in a vineyard, each level with spectacular views over-looking the rolling hills of Willunga. Inside you’ll find a cellar door, a fine dining restaurant, and numerous artworks and features throughout curated by Chief Winemaker and fourth generation family member, Chester Osborn. Your experience begins in the Alternate Realties Museum on the ground floor of the d’Arenberg Cube, where a self-guided exploration will take you through a space filled with wall to wall art installations designed to excite and awaken your senses.  The Blending Bench is a hands on, interactive experience where you play winemaker. A palette of wine parcels, each with distinctive flavours and textures, are melded in search of balance, fullness, and finesse. The physical work is done – picking, crushing, fermenting, foot treading, basket pressing and barrel ageing, and you get to create a wine that is truly unique. You then bottle, name and label a 750ml sample to take home and show off to your friends. Following your blending session, indulge your taste buds at an eight course degustation in d’Arry’s Verandah Restaurant, overlooking the rolling hills of McLaren Vale. This is a very favourite way of eating and homage, if you like, to the old adage ‘variety is the spice of life’. The resultant combination of flavours and textures created between the food & wine pairings makes for an experience that will linger indeed!

Colonel William Light, South Australia’s first Surveyor General named the Barossa Valley in 1837 after Barossa in Spain. Settled in 1842 by English, Irish and German, it quickly established its own lifestyle and culture. Vines were first planted in 1847. German Lutherans were prominent, and churches were commonplace. In 1843 the press posted that Germans made “a highly valuable class of colonists”. Known to be sober, industrious, and people who made progress, for many generations their customs, language, food, festivals and dress were at the fore. During the 1840s and 50s many Germans arrived due to European hardship and German remained the preferred language.

Johann Gramp, born in Bavaria in 1819, came to South Australia in 1837 and lived for a year on Kangaroo Island. He later settled at Jacob’s Creek and was naturalised on 2 May 1848. He soon had competition from Samuel Smith, born in 1812 in Dorset, England, who bought thirty acres to plant his vines and established Yalumba. Being successful at the Victorian goldfield he was later able to buy a further eighty acres. More details here Yalumba heritage .

One of the best known wine producers, Joseph Ernst Seppelt, arrived from Silesia in 1850. Born in 1813 he arrived with his wife and family, thirteen other families and a group of young men who had worked for him. After first settling at Klemzig, the family later moved to Seppeltsfield where Joseph grew tobacco, wheat and wine. By the mid 1860s he began constructing a full-scale winery plant.

Although early gentlemen winemakers provided the lead in commercial vine growing and winemaking, it was those families with large financial resources who soon took over and developed the industry. The earliest among them was the Seppelt Family. When Joseph Seppelt’s attempts at tobacco growing failed, he changed to wine on a large scale. Others who made successful attempts were the Jacobs, Salters, Gramps, Penfolds and Tolleys.

Christian Auricht migrated from Prussia in 1838, established one of the Barossa’s first trading villages on the banks of the North Para River, naming it Langmeil. This historical site is home to Langmeil Winery today, said to be the oldest Shiraz vines in the world. More on Langmeil Winery