McLaren Vale
McLaren Vale & Fleurieu
Shiraz country forty minutes from Adelaide, but also home to Grenache revivalists, natural winemakers, and a farm-gate food trail that runs from the vineyards to the coast.
Oliver's Taranga
246 Seaview Rd, McLaren Vale SA 5171, Australia
Mon–Sun 10am–4pm
A sixth-generation McLaren Vale family estate that has leaned hard into Italian and Spanish varietals — Fiano aged in clay amphora, Sagrantino, Mencía, Falanghina — while still turning out serious Shiraz. The range is wider than most cellar doors dare, and the amphora Fiano alone justifies the detour.
John Lacey Artist
Woodcone Rd, Mount Compass SA 5210, Australia
Mon–Sun 11am–5pm
John Lacey has been painting from his studio on Woodcone Road, Mount Compass, for decades — the awards list runs back to 1997. His oils and acrylics have taken out first prizes across South Australia, Victoria, and Western Australia, with two acquisitive wins at the Goolwa Art Prize. The studio is open to visitors wanting to see the work directly.
Never Never Distilling Co.
56 Field St, McLaren Vale SA 5171, Australia
Mon–Thu 11am–5pm · Fri 11am–7pm · Sat 11am–6pm · Sun 11am–5pm
Three mates — George, Tim and Sean, whose careers spanned finance, distilling lineage (Tim is a descendant of Scotland's Gilbey distillers) and Diageo brand work — pooled their money for a 300-litre hybrid pot-and-column still named Wendy, setting her up in a 16-square-metre shed on the outskirts of Adelaide. The McLaren Vale cellar door is where the gin finds its public face.
Aldinga Community Pottery
Aldinga Beach SA 5173, Australia
Tue 9am–3:30pm · Wed 5pm–8pm · Fri 9am–12am
Aldinga Community Pottery, situated in the relaxed beachside setting of Aldinga Beach, South Australia, opens doors to the meditative world of ceramic craft. This studio thrives on shared learning and creative expression, welcoming both seasoned potters and curious newcomers. The atmosphere here balances instruction with exploration—you'll find yourself surrounded by the earthy textures of clay and the quiet focus of makers engaged in their practice. Offering sessions across midweek days, Aldinga Community Pottery embodies the spirit of regional craft culture, where technique, community, and the simple joy of working with one's hands intersect beautifully.
Vine Shed Venue & Cellar Door
270 Sand Rd, McLaren Vale SA 5171, Australia
Thu 11am–3pm · Fri–Sun 11am–5pm
The Conte family has been growing fruit on this McLaren Vale block since 1880. Now in its third generation, it finally has a cellar door. Steve, in his eighties, keeps son Dan tethered to Italian winemaking tradition; the Circa 1880 Shiraz is the one to order. Wood-fired pizza and share platters on Fridays through Sundays, in a converted shed among the old vines.