The Connoisseur’s Long Weekend: 4 Days of Fine Wine & Dining in South Australia

After landing in Adelaide, we collected a Land Rover Defender from Hertz, a comfortable and capable choice for navigating the hills and valleys over the coming days.

Our first stop was Penfolds Magill Estate, a polished introduction to South Australian wine set just outside the city. We began with a white wine flight, an elegant and approachable way to ease into the region. For travelers seeking a deeper experience, Penfolds also offers access to its premier portfolio by appointment, which can include tastings of icon wines such as Grange and selected Bin releases.

From there, we headed to Commune of Buttons, offering a complete contrast in scale and philosophy. We were taken through the vineyard by winemaker Jasper Button, whose low-intervention approach and family connection to the site shaped a tasting that felt personal, grounded, and driven by place rather than prestige. Our third visit was Ashton Hills, where we tasted refined chardonnay and pinot noir well suited to the cooler Adelaide Hills climate. We finished the day at Murdoch Hill, known for its highly regarded chardonnay and for offering one of the most valuable recommendations of the trip: a visit to Mount Horrocks in the Clare Valley later in the journey.

That evening, we checked into Sofitel Adelaide, a property that effortlessly blends modern French art de vivre with South Australian character. We stayed in a Luxury Corner Room on Level 22, where floor-to-ceiling windows offered commanding, panoramic views over the city skyline and out toward the coast. The room itself was a sanctuary of refined comfort, featuring the signature Sofitel MyBed and indulgent Balmain Paris amenities. Beyond the room, the hotel impresses with its understated elegance, from the light-filled lobby to the heated indoor pool, making it the perfect city base for a traveler who values high design and polished service.

Dinner was reserved at Botanic Restaurant, set within the heart of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens. Booked as a birthday celebration, the experience was flawless from the moment we arrived, with service that was attentive yet delightfully personable. Under the direction of Executive Chef Jamie Musgrave, the menu is an immersive, four-hour exploration of time and place, featuring native ingredients foraged directly from the surrounding gardens. We moved through a succession of sensory courses—highlighting marron, green ants, and fermented native botanicals—that felt less like a meal and more like a narrative of the Australian landscape. It was, without doubt, the culinary high-water mark of the trip.

Day two began with a drive into the higher altitudes of Eden Valley, starting at Henschke, where we tasted back-vintage Julius. The experience perfectly highlighted the elegance and longevity that define the historic estate. For clients interested in the very top tier, Henschke also offers private appointments that can include access to the Hill of Grace portfolio, undoubtedly one of Australia’s most revered and collected wines.

We continued down to the Barossa Valley floor, stopping at Rockford. Beyond their standard cellar door range, Rockford is known for periodically releasing small quantities of museum or allocation-only wines, including their iconic Basket Press Shiraz. While never guaranteed, thoughtful timing and advisor-led planning can be highly rewarding for collectors here. In fact, we had the opportunity to purchase a members-exclusive grenache during our stop

Our final tasting of the day was at Rieslingfreak, hosted by the legendary Jane Ferrari. With all wines open, the tasting offered a comprehensive and deeply engaging exploration of Riesling styles. It provided invaluable context ahead of our Clare Valley visits later in the itinerary.

That afternoon, we checked into our suite at The Louise. A personalized, handwritten birthday note waiting for us upon arrival was a generous and much-appreciated touch that set the tone for the stay. After a restorative swim and sunset drinks overlooking the vines, we moved to the dining room for dinner at Appellation.

Dinner is seamlessly included as part of the stay at The Louise, served in a degustation-style format that changes daily to reflect the best seasonal produce of the surrounding region. Paired with thoughtfully curated wines, it was a masterclass in local gastronomy and the perfect close to a day of heavy-hitting wine exploration.

Breakfast at The Louise came with expansive valley views and kangaroos moving quietly through the morning landscape. We spent the first part of the day cycling along Seppeltsfield Road, passing heritage palms and vineyards at an easy, unhurried pace.

Later that morning, we made the drive north to the Clare Valley. This is a region particularly rewarding for travelers who value precision, acidity, and restraint in their wine, and the stylistic contrast to the richer Barossa is immediately apparent.

Our visits included O’Leary Walker and Adelina Wines, but Mount Horrocks was the undisputed standout, perfectly delivering on the insider recommendation we received back on day one from Murdoch Hill. Owned and operated by winemaker Stephanie Toole, the estate produces wines of immense clarity and quiet confidence. Her hands-on approach and strict focus on balance and site expression are evident across the entire range.

Directly across the road sits Grosset Wines, owned by her husband, Jeffrey Grosset. While Grosset operates seasonally and was closed during our visit, it is widely regarded as one of Australia’s most important producers, particularly for benchmark riesling. When timing allows, visiting both wineries together offers clients a rare, fascinating insight into two distinct but complementary philosophies shaped by the exact same landscape.

Lunch was at the Watervale Hotel, a long-standing local institution and a fixture of the Clare Valley dining scene. Known for its deeply produce-driven menus and an excellent regional wine list, it is an essential inclusion for any Clare Valley itinerary.

By late afternoon, we returned to the Barossa for another beautifully relaxed evening, unwinding by the pool before moving onto sunset drinks and a second, equally impressive dinner at Appellation.

On our final morning, we made use of the complimentary e-bikes offered by The Louise, opting to explore the Barossa valley floor at a slower, more deliberate pace.

We began at Torbreck, an estate long associated with the powerful, structured shiraz that made the region famous worldwide. From there, we continued to Alkina, offering a brilliant stylistic contrast. A visually striking estate distinguished by its grenache-led focus, Alkina produces wines that are notably lighter and more textural than traditional Barossa expressions. Their winemaking emphasizes minimal intervention and soil transparency. Their highly sought-after Polygon series offers a compelling, micro-terroir look at exactly how individual soil profiles shape a wine's character.

Our final tasting was at Izway Wines, an impressive off-grid producer operating entirely on a battery-powered solar system. Known for their expressive, minimal-intervention reds, it was the perfect, grounded conclusion to our wine journey.

After a quick, relaxed poolside lunch back at The Louise, we made the drive to the airport and flew home, bringing an exceptional four days of South Australian food and wine to a close.