Frequently asked questions

$500 for a private tour for one or two guests. Bringing a third? They ride free, so it's still $500 for the three of you. The price covers your private car and driver-host for the whole day, pick-up and drop-off, and planning and booking your cellar doors and lunch. Lunch and any tasting fees are paid on the day (see below).

Up to three guests. It's a private tour, so it's only ever your group in the car, never strangers.

We need at least 24 hours' notice, and weekends in spring, summer and vintage fill first. Booking a week or two ahead gives us time to secure popular cellar doors and lunch spots, some of which take limited seated tastings.

Whichever suits you: pay by card online when you book, or pay on the day.

Cancel up to 48 hours before your tour for a full refund. If something comes up closer to the day, call us. We'd always rather move your tour to another date than see you miss out.

Our tours are planned around wine tasting, so they suit adults best. Children over 12 are welcome by arrangement: please get in touch before you book so we can plan a day that works for the whole family, including cellar doors and lunch spots that welcome younger guests. Only guests aged 18 or over can taste wine, which is the law in South Australia.

Yes, every day of the week, including weekends and public holidays. They're our most popular days, so book early if you have a date in mind.

From wherever you're staying in Adelaide: your hotel, home or Airbnb. Enter the address when you book. At the end of the day we drop you back at the same place.

Tours start at 9:00 or 10:00am (your choice) and run about seven to eight hours. We are never in a rush, so a tour takes as long as it takes, unless you have a deadline.

A comfortable electric sedan, driven by Carl. It's quiet and smooth, and seats up to three guests in comfort.

Usually three or four cellar doors, plus lunch. We'd rather you have time to sit, taste properly and chat to the people pouring than rush through six stops. If you'd like to fit in more, or slow right down, tell us and we'll plan it that way.

Yes. That's the point of a private tour. Tell us what you like to drink, what you've tried and liked, and any cellar doors friends have recommended, and we'll build the day around it. If you'd rather leave it to us, we'll mix small family producers with a couple of the big names.

Yes. We create custom tours that can cover more than one region, so tell us what you'd like to see. The Barossa and the Eden Valley sit side by side and pair beautifully, and the Adelaide Hills make an easy first stop on the scenic route to the Barossa. The regions are 45 minutes to over an hour apart, so we'll plan the route to keep driving short and leave plenty of time at the cellar door.

We book lunch for you at a winery restaurant or local spot that suits your day: anything from wood-fired pizza among the vines to a long, multi-course lunch. Lunch is paid on the day at the venue. Tell us about any dietary needs when you book and we'll choose somewhere that caters well.

Many cellar doors offer free tastings. Others charge a small fee, often waived if you buy a bottle, and premium or seated experiences cost more. We'll tell you about any fees when we plan your day, so there are no surprises.

In summer, bring a hat and sunscreen, as it can pass 35 degrees. In winter, the Hills can be cold and damp, so bring a jacket. Tours go ahead rain or shine; some of the best tastings happen beside a fire in July.

No. The driver remains at 0.0% all day, so everyone else can relax and enjoy the wine.

No. Tipping isn't customary in Australia. If you've had a great day, the best thanks is a Google review.

Unfortunately not. The car and some cellar doors aren't set up for wheelchairs. If you have other mobility needs, get in touch and we'll do our best to plan around them.

Yes, and we love these days. Tell us your favourite producers and styles and we'll aim for seated tastings, older vintages and smaller makers you won't find in most bottle shops. Some wineries offer premium experiences such as museum or library tastings, barrel tastings or vineyard walks. These are run by the wineries, usually cost extra and need booking ahead, so ask us early.

We're Carl and Ing, Adelaide locals who grew up around these wine regions and have worked in cellar doors ourselves. We know which tasting rooms are worth your time, who makes what, and where to find the producers that wine people seek out.

If you love big, rich reds, head to the Barossa Valley. Shiraz is king here, along with Grenache, Mataro (Mourvèdre) and Cabernet, and next door the higher, cooler Eden Valley makes some of Australia's finest Riesling.

If Grenache or Mediterranean styles are more your thing, McLaren Vale is the place: old-vine Grenache and Shiraz, plus Fiano, Vermentino, Nero d'Avola and other Italian and Spanish varieties that suit its warm, maritime climate.

If you prefer elegant, cooler styles, try the Adelaide Hills for Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and some of the country's best sparkling wine.

Not sure? Tell us two or three wines you've enjoyed and we'll suggest a region.

South Australia has never had phylloxera, the vine louse that destroyed most of Europe's vineyards in the late 1800s. That means vines planted by settlers in the 1840s are still producing today. In the Barossa, Langmeil's Freedom Vineyard was planted in 1843 and is among the oldest Shiraz vineyards in the world. The Barossa Old Vine Charter recognises vines by age: Old Vine (35 years and over), Survivor (70+), Centenarian (100+) and Ancestor (125+). Tasting wine from vines that old is something you can do in very few places on earth, and we can build a day around it.

Both make outstanding Shiraz and Grenache, but in different ways. McLaren Vale sits between the Gulf St Vincent and the Mount Lofty Ranges, so sea breezes cool the vineyards in the afternoon, and its wines tend to be plusher, with a savoury, almost Mediterranean edge. Vines were first planted here in 1838. The region is also known for its range of soils, some of them hundreds of millions of years old, and for its many organic and biodynamic growers. The Barossa is further inland and warmer, and its Shiraz is often richer and more structured.

Altitude. The vineyards sit between about 400 and 600 metres above sea level in the Mount Lofty Ranges, which makes this one of Australia's best cool-climate regions. Expect Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with natural acidity, crisp Sauvignon Blanc, and serious sparkling wine. The region has two official subregions, Lenswood and Piccadilly Valley. It's also only 25 minutes from the city, which means more time tasting and less time in the car.

Every season has something. Spring (September to November) brings new green growth and mild days. Summer is long, dry and sunny. Autumn (February to April) is vintage, when the regions are at their busiest and most alive, with grapes being picked and crushed. Winter is our quiet favourite: open fires, fewer crowds and the chance to taste with the winemaker on a slow day.

Yes. The big ones include the Barossa Vintage Festival (held in autumn in odd-numbered years), Sea & Vines in McLaren Vale (June long weekend) and Crush in the Adelaide Hills (late January). They're great fun but busy. We run tours on festival weekends too, so book early, and check the festival websites, as dates change.

There's no exam. Most cellar doors pour from lighter to fuller wines: sparkling and whites first, then reds, then fortifieds. Each pour is small, so you can try a range. Ask questions: the people pouring usually know the vineyards and the winemaking, and that's often where the best stories are. And it's fine to say a wine isn't for you.

Of course. We keep purchases safe in the car between stops, out of the sun, and drop them home with you.

Most cellar doors can send wine anywhere in Australia, often with discounts on six or twelve bottles. Many also ship overseas, though it depends on the country, so ask at the cellar door or let us know in advance and we can take you to some places that ship to your country.

Usually, yes, in checked luggage, well wrapped. Every country has its own limits on how much alcohol you can bring in duty-free, so check yours before you buy a case. If you're buying more than a few bottles, shipping is often easier.