One could say an Australian Gourmet Wine Tour is at its finest when the bottle is given equal weight to the meal. Be it old-vine Shiraz and a local cheese in South Australia or Chardonnay with some artisan chocolate in Victoria, these are tours that put cellar doors and regional cuisine together for good reason, if not to give you cause to unbutton your belt.
I have been organising food and wine getaways in Western Australia in my capacity as a travel writer from Fremantle. I am Isla Whitmore and I can tell you most travellers have no use for another glossy pitch. They want the facts on how much ground they will cover, what is truly part of the deal, whether wine country chocolate experiences fit into the itinerary, if the price of lunch is justified and the number of tastings one can sensibly put in before getting too carried away with the olive oil.
Best Regions For Gourmet Touring
You will find Australia’s wine regions cater to all types of traveller. There are those made for a refined vineyard restaurant and then again there are more laid back day trips to be had with craft beer, a spot of gin tasting and small cellar doors to boot.
It comes down to where you are coming from, your appetite, the sort of wine you like and how long you are willing to sit in a minibus. What follows is a straightforward comparison, not some ranking etched into a cellar wall.
| Region | Best For | Typical Day Shape | Good To Know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barossa Valley, South Australia | Vineyard restaurants, old-vine Shiraz and local cheese | Three or four tastings and a gourmet lunch | From Adelaide you need the whole day |
| Hunter Valley, New South Wales | Semillon, produce from the region and options for Sydney departures | A long lunch between two to four cellar doors | The return leg can be protracted by traffic |
| Margaret River, Western Australia | Organic vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon and the like | One non-wine stop with lunch and three tastings | An overnight from Perth is advisable |
| Yarra Valley, Victoria | Cheese, chocolate, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay | Food stops at two or three wineries | A Melbourne day trip is feasible |
| Mornington Peninsula, Victoria | Coastal views, farm-to-table and cool-climate wine | Generous lunch in a small group | Expect slow roads at weekends |
| Swan Valley, Western Australia | Beer, gin, chocolate and olive oil on short day trips | A few compact stops in the vicinity of Perth | When time is short and you are leaving from Perth |
Match The Region To Your Appetite
If the idea of a structured tasting and a proper meal appeals, Barossa Valley has the right tours. Hunter Valley is handy for the Sydney visitor, though one should accord the drive back more consideration than the map app would have you believe.
In Margaret River the culinary and wine side of things is for those who do not mind a slower pace; the area is expansive and to cram every cellar door in a day is to ensure you remember none of them. Yarra Valley offers Pinot Noir and the odd bit of cheese and chocolate in an itinerary that is easy enough to handle from Melbourne.
Barossa Flavours Worth Travelling For
For the traveller after something of the classic South Australian wine country and food with more substance than a packet of crackers by the till, the Barossa is hard to beat. Old-vine Shiraz is the order of the day but a good tour will also put you in front of cured meats, seasonal veg and a vineyard restaurant.
Three or four tasting experiences make for a sensible plan of action, seven does not. It is a matter of being able to put producers head to head without the last one becoming an exercise in balance and dignity.
Make Room For A Long Lunch
An unspecified “food stop” is not the same as a decent gourmet lunch, so choose accordingly. Find out if the meal is seated and if dietary needs are looked after, and whether you buy the wine to go with the courses or separately.
The roads in the Barossa are plain sailing for the most part, but a private charter or small group spares you the driving question. Should you put a car on the road, have a driver in mind at the first cellar door and stock up on water. Do not count on the South Australian sun to be kind to your hydration.
A Case For The Hunter Valley
Visitors from Sydney will find few more practical arrangements than a Hunter Valley tour. You can have your wine, your regional cuisine and a long lunch without having to book a flight or an overnight transfer.
Time is the rub however. With the traffic and the number of places to be, the day can become as crowded as sardines, especially at the weekend. It is better to have an itinerary with longer visits at a select few venues than one that makes of every cellar door a box to be ticked.
Semillon And Produce
While the Hunter Valley is synonymous with Semillon, a tour with an emphasis on food will also put in some time for local cheese, olive oil, handmade chocolate and what is in season. There are itineraries that factor in a tasting of craft beer or gin, not amiss for a group with differing tastes when it comes to drinking.
A word of advice for the journey back to Sydney: see what the finish time is before you book. Put off by the traffic, a late afternoon tour can have you back well past your dinner hour. Should you be putting in an overnight, do not make the mistake of thinking all vineyards are five minutes from your accommodation; pick something close to where you are headed the following day.
Margaret River For A More Leisurely Tasting
The culinary and wine offerings of Margaret River are for those who would rather linger at each stop. The South West of Western Australia has its café culture, farm-to-table dining and artisan produce to go with the Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, so there is no need for a tour to be exclusively about the wine.
You could make a day of it from Perth but it is hard work. An overnight is the sensible option for most, particularly with a long lunch in the offing. Distances between venues have a way of adding up once you account for roadworks signs that seem to appear at just the right moment to test everyone’s patience, not to mention photo opportunities and queues.
When Conditions Change
Rain in the wet season will put a damper on outdoor tastings and slow the roads, dry summer weather can mean heat and bushfire closures. Use the Bureau of Meteorology for climate information and check any local alerts as part of your planning. If there are coastal elements to the tour, enquire as to whether tides or wind might dictate a change of plan. A good operator will have something in reserve if the weather gets rough as guts, even if the tasting is the main attraction.
Artisan Stops In The Yarra Valley
For variety without spending too much time on the road, the Yarra Valley has fine food and wine and artisan tastings to offer. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are complemented by the likes of vineyard restaurants and farm produce.
Being a favourite for a day out of Melbourne, the time of departure is important. An early start will ensure the first tasting is more relaxed and you can have your lunch without being aware of the clock. On a weekend you may find parking and getting in takes longer than you would like.
Wine With Some Texture
There is more to be had from a food pairing that puts some texture to it than a recitation of names. A bit of creamy local cheese makes the case for acidity, or handmade chocolate will tell you how tannin and sweetness get on. It is more memorable than a discourse on the soil. And a chocolate stop is not only for the children or the one in the party who does not drink to excess; it can lend balance to a tour for a group of varied interests, the so called wine country chocolate experience being of use to a traveller after a more wide ranging gourmet day.
What Is Included
You will find transport, a food experience and cellar-door tastings in most Australian tours of this nature. But the inclusions are where the details differ, so do not pass judgement on the price until you have read them. Add in separate fees for lunch and return transport and a bargain can look expensive.
My own checklist is straightforward:
- Departure and return times, the pickup area.
- How many wineries and non-wine stops are on the agenda.
- If the cost covers a gourmet lunch, any dietary needs and the tasting itself.
- Terms on cancellation, vehicle and size of the group.
- Any plans for bad weather, or if there is a lot of walking and stairs involved.
Reality Check
You may think you can cover all the famous ground in a day at your leisure. In practice the twenty minute tasting runs over when you allow for the shop, a question or two and the like.
A private tour is not a guarantee of superior wine, merely of having your say on the timing and conversation. The guide and his knowledge of the region and choice of venue will determine the quality.
And do not assume local pickup is a door-to-door proposition in all cases; outer suburbs and holiday parks can be left out. Make sure you know where you are to meet, be it a city hotel or a departure in Sydney or Perth.
On Costs, Transport And Timing
These are subject to the season, the inclusions and the size of the group. Consider the below indicative costs in AUD as a guide for planning purposes, not set market rates. You will pay more for a premium charter or luxury vehicle.
| Tour Format | Indicative Cost Per Adult | Usually Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Tastings and self-drive | $80 to $180, not counting your meals or the fuel | For the flexible traveller and his designated driver |
| A day with a small group | $180–$350 | The social format for those who prefer to have their transport arranged |
| Gourmet lunch in a small group | $250–$450 | A more thorough itinerary for some |
| Private charter | From $600 up to $1,500 a vehicle | If families, couples or groups want to be in control |
None of the above covers accommodation and there could be tasting fees not shown. Put it to the operator: is the price per head or the vehicle? Is there a surcharge for transfers from your part of town and does it come with lunch?
Make The Logistics Boring
There is nothing like boring logistics. Good ones are uneventful. Mind your phone reception, put on a light layer, have water to hand and stable footwear. The cellar door may be polished but you will find gravel and uneven ground between them, or the full force of the sun.
And do not drive after you have had a drink, no matter how modest the tastings. Have a tour or a charter booked, or put forward a driver that is truly alcohol-free. One who has a “just one” is a problem in sunglasses, not your means of transport.
Your Tour Style
How much of an Australian wine region you see is less important than your manner of travelling. Small group tours across Australia are good for local commentary and splitting the bill; private options put you in command of what and when you eat.
When sizing up an operator, this guide is handy:
- For value and a bit of conversation on a set course, go with a small group.
- If you have children, dietary needs or are celebrating, a private charter is the way.
- Self-drive is fine for its flexibility provided the driver is sober and the number of stops realistic.
- In a region as spread out as Margaret River an overnight is called for.
- Or make it a food-first tour where the produce and the stories are of more consequence than amassing tasting stamps.
Who Should Not Do A Full Day
Long vehicle transfers can be off-putting, as can the tedium of changing vehicles and rough paths for those with mobility issues. Severe motion sickness and very young children are not well served by a full gourmet outing.
One day only? Book three worthwhile stops in the region nearest you. Perth makes for an easy trip to Swan Valley, Sydney to Hunter Valley, Melbourne to Yarra Valley and Adelaide to Barossa. You would be better giving Margaret River more time than a hasty return permits.
Frequently Asked Questions
I get these questions a lot from people weighing up the culinary tours of Australia. The following should tell a useful itinerary from one propped up by a laminated map and empty promises.
Which is the best wine region for a food and wine tour?
Barossa Valley is hard to beat for old-vine Shiraz, a solid vineyard meal and some local cheese. For cool-climate wine and chocolate the Yarra Valley is more to your taste, while in Margaret River you will find a slower, produce-led approach. It is a matter of where you are leaving from and whether you are in for a day or overnight.
What does a gourmet food and wine tour entail?
You will generally be put down for transport, a guide, some food and tastings at the cellar door. But do not be taken in by the title of the tour, check the conditions for hotel pickup, chocolate, cheese and the like.
The cost of an Australian food and wine tour?
Put aside $180–$350 for a small-group day and $250–$450 if the gourmet lunch is of a higher order. Private charters will be in the region of $600 for the vehicle and more according to the distance and size of it.
Is there a food and wine tour out of Sydney?
Yes, with Hunter Valley being the most sensible major option. An early start is advisable and you should factor in traffic, on a weekend or public holiday all the more so.
Private or small group?
Not a case of one being better. You get sociability and value from the small group. With a private tour you are master of the pace, the accessibility and the food which, for a mixed-age group or occasion, is worth the premium.
Plan A Day To Remember
The best of what Australia’s gourmet wine tours have to offer are not frantic marathons. They are days of proper proportion with a guide who knows the area and room to take in the finer points.
Book safe transport, confirm what is included before you part with your money and pick a region that is convenient. The wine is the star of the show but what you will recall is the warm bread and the local producer and the good laugh at table, and the realisation that the last cellar door was perhaps one too many.