Adelaide: Barossa accommodation and wineries/places to visit

[Paradox]

All help appreciated.

Wife is at a conference in Adelaide in October and spare airpoints means I get to leave Auckland and join her for 3 days.

The plan seems to be a spare day in Adelaide, followed by a rental car trip to Barossa and Mclaren Vale for 2 days.

So what I'd like to know is:

1] The non-wine related things to do in Adelaide for a day (or semi-wine related...)

2] Wineries to visit in Barossa and Mclaren Vale

3] A nice boutique hotel or B&B to stay in, in the greater Barossa area.

I have read TORB's tour dairies which I think are fantastic and will probably just visit his favourites unless I get more information, but I am aware that when we did a similar trip out of Melbourne we enjoyed places like Domaine Chandon and Yering Station as much as anywhere, simply because they were such cool locations, both architecturally and/or historically, so I'm always keen to visit places like that even if the wines may not be top notch.

So, advice please.

Oh, and some really good restaurants if that's not too much to ask

thanks
Rob

[Wizz]

Rob,

We ordered the Adelaide brochure from the SA Tourism board, and they basically say that to do things in Adelaide...get out of Adelaide!

Glenelg Beach is a half day touristy visit if you do it slowly. Go look at the Cathedral just near the Adeaide oval of this is your thing. Visit the Haighs chocolate factory, great gear and you can see it being made. Wont take up alot of time though. Go up into the hills and visit Hahndorf - also very touristy, but hey! Also visit Shaw and Smith, Nepenthe and Bridgewater Mill (Petaluma) while you're there.

I'm sure the locals can add more interesting stuff for you.

In the Barossa, you cant go past Lawley Farm, right next to Rockford. Jack and Leslie are great hosts and its a lovely B & B.

In the Barossa, my top five to visit would be:

Rockford
Charles Melton
Turkey Flat
Langmiel
Peter Lehmann

In McLaren Vale my top 5 to visit are:

D'Arenberg
Coriole
Kays
Chapel Hill
Pertaringa

hope this helps, others will surely add to this,
cheers

Andrew

[BA]

Barossa Accomodation - heaps of B&B's. try http://www.southaustralia.com/accommodation.asp and follow your nose.

Restaurants - Barr Vinum is the place. In Angaston. Compulsory

It's hard not to have an enjoyable time here. No great architectural wonders in the wineries. More like old stone country charm. Rockford is essential.

Enjoy

BA

[707]

Paradox, only too happy to provide a heap of local knowledge to assist your trip but probably easier if you post your e-mail address and I'll send you my phone number. You can then ring me for a chat.

[Deano]

Paradox,
Some suggestions for your Adelaide trip;
While in McLaren Vale, the Barn Restuarant on Main Rd MV is wonderful.
Wirra winery has a new cellar door, have not seen the final outcome, but the several WIP stages over the past 12 months, revealed a lovely old stone walls, fireplaces and wooden floorboard extension.
Coriole winery has an affilation with Woodside Cheese Wrights, using cow's and goats milk... a matured Edith goat's milk cheese goes well...well anything.
Henley Beach to the West has a lovely beach and a few worthy restuarants all in 2 minute walk of each other...particularly Estias (greek), also has a great range of wines.
To the North in the Barossa there is a great Pie/Pasty shop in Angaston, the name i think is Lenke, about 100 years old and makes fantastic sausage rolls...without the lips and extras!
Also in Angaston is Barossa Valley Cheese Co., all cow's milk camembert, brie, curd, fetta and washed rind. Another one up there, but with no tasting experience from my behalf, is Ballycroft at Greenock.
Lastly, in Adelaide itself, the finale is around the 23rd/24th weekend of October, is Tasting Adelaide (or is it Tasting Australia), fine wine and food held in Elder Park, overlooking Adelaide Oval.
Cheers

[TORB]

To the North in the Barossa there is a great Pie/Pasty shop in Angaston, the name i think is Lenke, about 100 years old and makes fantastic sausage rolls...without the lips and extras!

This must be the only bloody pie shop that John Davis has not dragged me in , but possibly the saussage rolls put him off.

[Paradox]

Thanks very much everyone - there's a fair bit to get my teeth into there, and I didn't realise quite how many wineries there are outside Adelaide - we'll need to be quite selective

Current plan is to spend the arrival day in Adelaide and then leave early the next day and head to the Barossa and visit as many wineries as we can handle. The current list includes Rockford, Elderton, Thorn-Clarke, Saltram, Orlando, Turkey Flat, P.Lehman, Veritas and Grant Burge.

We'll aim to head down slowly to McLaren Vale the next day which looks a bit more manageable - Kays, Fox Creek, D'Arenburg, Coriole and Tatachilla. We have a bit of time the next day for any essentials we've missed or a meander up the coast to the airport for the afternoon flight home.

Steve/707 (and anyone else) I'd be keen for more information. If anyone wants to email my munged email address is robw(at)ihugdotcodotnz.

thanks
Rob