Penfolds Barossa Valley Cellar Door, South Australia

The wine industry is an important part of life in Australia, and there is a smattering of world-famous wine-making communities around the country. Just outside of Adelaide, in the surrounding foothills, the Penfolds Magill Estate is one of the most prominent wineries in the region.

South Australia Wineries

It is home to the renowned Penfolds wine range as well as the prize-winning Grange brand.

Located just 15 minutes from the bustling Central Business District of Adelaide, the winery makes for the perfect day trip with stunning views and the chance to dig a little deeper into the fascinating winemaking industry.

The on-site wine education team make it possible for visitors to learn all about the famous labels that are created on-site, while the surrounding vineyards are ideal for a leisurely stroll. Elsewhere, the on-site restaurant serves up delicious local dishes against a beautiful backdrop of the rolling Adelaide Hills.

While there, visitors have the chance to explore every nook and cranny of the heritage-listed winery, including the historic underground tunnels, the bluestone cellars, and Grange Cottage, where life at Penfolds originally began.

The Variety of Wine in Adelaide, South Australia

South Australia is recognized as the master state for Australian wine, being home to some of the country’s top wine regions. The state is overflowing with sprawling hills, rich soil, and a perfect wine-growing countryside. With noteworthy regions including Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Adelaide Hills, and Clare Valley. Each area has become famous, not just in Australia, but to the rest of the world, creating wines that have won numerous wine awards and are sold at many international bottle shops and restaurants. The Penfold’s range has two cellar doors, one located in the Barossa Valley Region, and the other closer to the city at Magill. The Barossa Valley Penfolds winery is where all the magic happens, with the wine created alongside other famous brands such as Rockford, Jacob’s Creek, and Henschke. The rich soil of Barossa Valley produces the high-end selection of world-class Penfolds wine. With the winery venue set amongst the stunning countryside scenery, promising visitors not just a delicious drop, but a spectacular view to go with it.

The History of the Penfold Estate

Penfolds Estate

The Penfold Winery is one of the oldest in Australia, dating back to 1844 when Dr Christopher Rawson and Mary Penfold decided to plant some vines and begin making wine. Back then, it was named the Grange Vineyard after their pretty cottage, and they mainly grew Grenache grapes that had been brought over from the South of France.

Today, the winery produces a whole range of other flavours, including Chardonnay, Shiraz, Pinot Noir, and Riesling. And, set just 8kms from the city of Adelaide in the jaw-droppingly beautiful surrounds of the Mount Lofty Ranges, it is one of the only urban single vineyards in the world.

  • The Penfolds Heritage Experience

    The Cellar Door at Penfolds is a popular spot. Visitors flock from far and wide to sample some of the unique, delicious flavours that have characterised the vineyards for over 150 years.

    The heritage of the Estate is what makes it so special, and the on-site heritage experience lets you explore all of this and more. Visitors can instantly immerse themselves in the rich history of this iconic winery, exploring some of the more historic parts of the estate like the underground drives and Christopher and Mary’s old home.

    No visit is complete without a visit to the Cellar Door and the gift shop, where you can pick up a bottle or two to take home with you to remind you of your time at the Estate.

  • The Cellar Door

    Penfolds Cellar Door

    No visit is complete without a visit to the Cellar Door, where visitors can experience a piece of the Penfolds history while sipping on the delightful range of wine. If you are unsure what a cellar door actually is, it is essentially a wine tasting room. A designed space just for tasting where the professional wine masters will serve visitors a sample of varieties. The staff don’t just pour the wine, however, but detail the taste processes, aromas, and flavours featured in each sample tested. Explaining the winemaking methods used and the development of each drop over the years. Attached to the cellar door is the gift shop, where you can pick up a bottle or two to take home with you to remind you of your time at the Estate.

  • The Restaurant

    If all that wine has given you a light head, head off to the on-site restaurant, also known as the Magill Estate Restaurant. The restaurant blends together the modern architectural style as well as the natural attributes that represent the Adelaide foothills. With the staff constantly changing the menu depending on the season, striving to inspire visitors with their texture and aroma. Of course, one of the biggest appeals is their pairing with a range of the Penfold wines. Simply ask your waitress/waiter when browsing the menu and they can help you match the perfect meal to the perfect wine, just how the winery envisioned.

  • Events

    Penfolds celebrates its wine and success with its calendar of events! From tasting events to wine dinners to festival appearances, it’s guaranteed at least one of these events will appeal to everyone! The next couple of events are the Winter Reds and Truffle Dinner, held at the end of July. Here Penfolds will celebrate 175 years of innovative winemaking, marking this extraordinary milestone with a five-course truffle tasting! The mouth-watering tasting is of course paired with all the best of Penfold’s greatest drops!

    The next event coming up is the Magill Estate Social, which occurs on the first Tuesday of every month! The event involves the winery opening its cellar doors for a night of celebration. Each Tuesday event will focus on a section of Penfold’s wine, with the entire year including the portfolio of Max’s range, cellar reserve, and Penfolds collection. It is a lively event and lets visitors interact with the professional winemaking masters as well as other wine enthusiasts.

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