Exploring Adelaide Hills, SA’s ‘coolest’ wine region
Chic new stays, stunning scenery and trendy wineries producing some of Australia’s most exciting drops make this region a must-visit.
Spend enough time soaking in the view from Nepenthe winery’s newly renovated cellar door and there’s a chance you’ll spot its resident koala. We’re told the furry native likes to laze among the branches of the dramatic, lone gumtree which presides over the winery’s rolling vineyards. Today, however, it’s chosen an alternative location, most likely to escape the capricious weather.
The winery, which was founded in 1994, is one of about 50 cellar doors which make up the Adelaide Hills wine region. Located in the Mount Lofty Ranges and less than half an hour from Adelaide’s city centre, the area is producing some of Australia’s most innovative and exciting wines according to James Evers, Nepenthe’s head winemaker.
Unlike the neighbouring regions of McLaren Vale and the Barossa, which he says have become somewhat pigeonholed, the varied topography and comparative infancy of the Hills has given it the advantage of variety over its more established, geographically uniform counterparts. “We’re not doing just sauvignon blanc, we’re not just doing shiraz,” he says.
“Because we’re a young wine region and it’s so diverse in the mountains, we can make what we like. There’s more comraderie than competition; everyone’s just having a crack and having fun.”
The winery operates three vineyards in the Hills: Hahndorf, the highest of the three featuring gruner veltliner, viognier, sauvignon blanc and arneis, and Charleston, where thanks to its dryer climate and loose soil, red varieties such as pinot noir and tempranillo thrive, and Balhannah, the location of its cellar door and its more delicate grape varieties.
We’re coming off the back of a great few years for winemaking, Evers says. “2021, ’22 and ’23 have been the three coolest years on record in the Adelaide Hills,” he explains, “and this works well with these wine styes.”
With its vines leafless and dormant during my visit in June, the vineyard itself isn’t at its most visually spectacular, however the cool, wet weather is ideal for appreciating the winery’s new headquarters. And soon enough, the onset of spring will have vibrant green leaves peeking from the vines.
Cellar door manager Ashlee Hood explains that sustainability was a key driver behind the multimillion-dollar renovation, which began in 2021.
“We’ve gone fully off the grid,” she explains as she takes our group through the space. On the northwestern side, its contemporary gallery area features a bar, dining space and floor-to-ceiling windows offering views of the sloping vineyard. There’s also a glass fireplace, which Hood explains is both emission and odour free, the latter being very important at a cellar door. “If all you can smell is the wood smoke, how are you going to taste the notes of the wine?” she asks. Almost all the materials used were locally sourced, including the terrazzo and limestone, and the property now runs off solar energy.
Entry to the gallery is via the building’s “barrel room”, a dramatic event space featuring a wall of wine barrels and curved wooden roof installation, accessible via two corrugated steel doors which, when opened, reveal views of the lawn and undulating hills.
At the southeastern end of the building lies the intimate Apex tasting room, its curving, pinot noir-hued walls and raspberry velvet chairs inspire feelings of floating inside a bottle of one of the brand’s signature reds.
It’s here that Evers guides us through a tasting of Nepenthe’s extensive wine offering, starting with its bestseller - the Nepenthe NV cuvee, a bright, chardonnay pinot noir sparkling blend.
There’s a lot of ground to cover, and our tasting journey is complemented by a generous platter brimming with local produce including a cheesy beetroot dip from Uraidla, fresh bread, olives and wedges of heysen blue and cheddar cheese from famed South Australian cheesemaker Udder Delights.
Evers presents a bottle of the brand’s Elevation pinot noir. “This is the biggest selling pinot in South Australia,” he begins. It’s delicate, fruity, and a $20 a bottle, a great value drop. “15 years ago you couldn’t get a decent pinot for under $50 a bottle; thank goodness that’s changed.”
Its proximity to the CBD has made Adelaide Hills a top choice for day tripping and short stays, but you’ll need at least a good week to properly explore the myriad cellar doors.
There are exceptional accommodation offerings to choose from, from historic, heritage institutions including Thorngrove Manor and Mt Lofty House, to more contemporary options such as the luxurious Sequoia Lodge.
The latter, located just a three-minute drive from Nepenthe’s cellar door, is the newest hotel addition in the region, having opened in 2021.
The unassuming rusty doors of each of its 14 suites belies the opulence hidden within. Each boasts a sunken lounge room and fireplace; the perfect spot to savour a bottle of the region’s famed pinot noir and soak up the views of the Piccadilly Valley.
Winter might not sound like the ideal time of year to take a dip in one of the resort’s three outdoor pool (two of which are fed by a local spring) but with each heated to between 30 and 35 degrees it’s easy to lose hours watching the afternoon mist rolling through the valley, glass of local wine in hand, soaking in the warm water.
The lodge is located on the same 30-acre property as Mount Lofty House, so a degustation dinner at the manor’s fine-dining establishment, Hardy’s Verandah Restaurant, is a must-do experience.
The historical manor, which was built in 1852 by politician Arthur Hardy as a summer house, has a dramatic history, having been decimated by the 1983 Ash Wednesday fires which ripped through the region. Using recollections from locals, images and even information from a former resident, the Manor was restored and transformed into a boutique hotel, and in 2017, under the direction of owner David Horbelt, the property underwent a $6 million refurbishment which included the launch of its acclaimed restaurant.
Having been shown through the House’s extensive sandstone cellar and its impressive wine collection, my dining companion and I - after enjoying a negroni aperitif and some freshly shucked local oysters by the fireplace at Hardy’s Bar – opt into the local wine pairing option with dinner. Buttery poached marron paired with Yalumba’s 2020 The Virgilius viognier proves a highlight of Jin Choi’s seasonal seven-course menu, as is the restaurant’s signature hay smoked duck which, complemented by a glass of Dylan Grigg Vinya Vella 2022 grenache, absolutely sings.
We head back to the Lobby Lounge for a nightcap. On a clear evening, guests are encouraged to hunt for shooting stars with the high-powered Celestron telescope set up on its viewing deck. But with a light drizzle and thick clouds hindering the evening’s planned stargazing session, we settle for a game of chess by the fireplace instead.
In the know
The Adelaide Hills region is located less than half an hour from Adelaide airport, and there is plenty of accommodation to be found among the cellar doors including Mt Bera Vineyard Barristers Block and Simon Tolley.
Nepenthe holds regular events at its cellar door, with its Sundays on the Hill sessions featuring live music, food trucks and lawn games. Visitors can choose from a number of wine tastings and flight experiences, from a standard $15 tasting session to its $45 ultimate Apex journey.
Suites at Sequoia Lodge are priced from $1599 per night and include a la carte breakfast for two, and return car transfers can be arranged to and from Adelaide Airport for $300.