13,256 hectares of vineyards, 170 wineries and 750 grape supplying families spanning six generations– when it comes to vino, the Barossa doesn’t muck around. Renowned for its Shiraz and Riesling, but celebrated for so much more (Maggie Beer anyone?), our picks of the best winery experiences in the Barossa extend beyond the cellar door.
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Jacob’s Creek

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The grapevines of Jacob's Creek

Multi award-winning Jacob’s Creek Visitor’s Centre is a Barossa Valley icon and the perfect introduction to wine tasting. This sprawling vineyard is home to 14 grape varietals that make up its range of Cool Harvest, Reserve, Super Premium wines and more. You could easily spend a whole day here being tempted with incredible food and wine combinations, activities and sweeping views of the Barossa Ranges.

Novices can relax with a casual tasting at the cellar door or sit down with a group for a more structured session. Wine aficionados may prefer the comprehensive Sensory Experience, an interactive workshop that analyses the complexities of Jacob’s Creek favourites.

If you’re feeling peckish, Jacob’s Restaurant serves a contemporary Australian menu expertly matched with recommendations from the winemakers. For something a little more intimate, consider joining a Jacob’s Creek Master Class for an educational tasting accompanied by a two-course lunch.

Onsite, you can also hire bikes to explore the grounds at leisure, or join vineyard tours that finish up with wine tasting, naturally!
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Two Hands Wines

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Two Hands Wines Cellar Door

“Quality without compromise” is the core value at the heart of this vineyard’s operation, along with making the best Shiraz-based wines possible from prized Australian grape growing regions.

While the Cellar Door enjoys a beautiful Barossa Valley setting, Two Hands Wines also source fruit and wines from other Australian regions including McLaren Vale, Langhorne Creek and Clare Valley.

Settle into a stool at the vineyard’s 19th Century sandstone cottage Cellar Door for an intimate tasting from the Picture Series and Flagship drops. Sip easy by knowing your $5 tasting fee is donated entirely to their charity of choice, the Uganda Project.

If you happen to be stopping by on a Friday, the Long Lunch Masterclass is a great opportunity to sample your way through the Two Hands Wines portfolio while enjoying a chef’s selection menu, followed by a winery tour and exclusive barrel tasting.
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Rolf Binder

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Rolf Binder - Denis Smith Photography

The vineyard, once Veritas Winery, was famed for its fortified wines and the signature ‘Bull’s Blood’ Shiraz Mataro. Second generation Binders, Rolf Binder and Christa Deans, are continuing their family's legacy by combining their wine-making skills to produce a number of award-winning labels under the Rolf Binder brand, including Shiraz, Eden Valley Riesling, and Christa’s celebrated Semillion.

The Vineyard to Glass tour offers visitors the opportunity to stroll through the grape vines, learn about the stages of viticulture, sample various vintages still in the barrel, and sit down to a tasting in the cellar door room.

You can also relax on the veranda and soak up views of the gardens and Barossa Ranges, devour local Amanti wood-fired pizzas, BYO picnic, and even stay overnight on the grounds.

Veritas Cottage is the winery’s retro two-bedroom self-contained cottage that overlooks the Black Muscat vineyard. Set on 27 hectares, there’s plenty to explore, and you can take advantage of the vegetable garden for any meals you wish to cook during your stay.
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Peter Lehmann Wines

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Chef Aileen Proudfoot tending to her kitchen garden

Peter Lehmann is the Baron of the Barossa. A member of the Order of Australia and legend of Australian wine, he made a significant contribution in helping shape the wine industry over seven decades.

The Cellar Door is open seven days a week, where you can indulge in tastings of more than 40 of their finest drops from across the Barossa’s 14 sub-regions. Linger over tipples of the Art ‘n’ Soul series, or savour the full selection of flagship wines.

Pair your tasting with a Weighbridge Platter, a gourmet board overflowing with local treats and exquisite seasonal produce. Groups can take their Peter Lehmann’s experience to the next level with a private dining experience in one of the Cellar Door’s private rooms. Devour a menu prepared by resident chef, Aileen Proudfoot, expertly matched with a selection of the vineyard’s most popular vinos.

Cap off your time here with a stroll through the resplendent themed gardens, each section detailing the story of the winery through the seasons. Soaring red gums, beautiful rose beds and a kitchen garden link Peter Lehmann’s to neighbouring wineries on the riverside Para Road Wine Path.
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Seppeltsfield

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Seppeltsfield's 100-year old wine cellar

Dating back to 1851, Seppeltsfield is entrenched in legacy and rich Barossan heritage. Its claim to fame is its Centennial Collection, an unbroken lineage of Tawny vintage since 1878. Seppeltsfield is also the only winery in the world to release a 100-year old single vintage wine annually.

Along with the usual Cellar Door tastings, there’s a whole host of activities to keep occupied with onsite. Wind your way through JamFactory, a contemporary craft studio and gallery or hop on a chariot-like Segway for a unique tour through the estate. For some much needed sustenance, sit down to a decadent modern Australian meal in an alfresco setting at Seppeltsfield's new restaurant, FINO, which officially opens to the public on the 22nd November.

History buffs will love the daily heritage tours which provide an insight into the estate’s past and buildings, while foodies can savour bite-sized snacks matched with Solero fortified wines on the Fortified and Canapé Tasting Experience.

The ultimate in Seppeltsfield experiences lies on the Centenary Tour. Step inside the Seppelt family homestead before sampling super-premium fortified wines in the Trophy Cellar. Your tour will culminate in a tasting of your birth year Tawny direct from the barrel.