Barossa Valley Tour from Adelaide 5/3/13

[fitzy1968]

Anyone else interested in a full day tour (less than 20 people) from the dock in Adelaide up to the Barossa Valley visiting a number of different wineries and scenic spots in the area. Cost is $95 per person which includes lunch and the company is "Taste of the Barossa".(Check their website). It is rated #1 tour on Trip Advisor. I have 2-4 people interested but the tour company told me I need about 10 to 15 people to warrant the extra 50 min drive from the city centre to the dock.

[fairywren]

Hi Fitzy1968,

 

Are you on Voyager 19th Feb? Come and join our Roll Call and we can discuss.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1577986

 

Some of us have not yet finalised our plans for Adelaide.

[cassamanda]

You can only post this sort of request on your roll call for your particular cruise. Not supposed to be posted here. i'm sure you will get plenty of response from your roll call.

[happyaussies]

Barossa is so Commercialized why not think about coming down south to Mclaren Vale. [our back yard]

You have beautiful views of the hills, the ocean and the wineries too! You have opportunites for Fleurieu gourmet food trail-cheese, chocolate, boutique beers, gold medal wines (winning world medals) etc etc.

 

I'll find the details for the family tour company who does it here in Onkaparinga.

[happyaussies]

The McLaren Vale wine district occupies the Willunga Basin, a tranquil undulating geological feature that stretches from the Gulf St Vincent in the west to the Willunga faultline and its escarpment twenty kilometres to the east.

The proximity of the sea ensures this Basin has constant maritime humidity, reliable sea breezes along the coast, regular evening gully breezes in the east, and the certainty of reasonably stable temperatures.

Grapes from McLaren Vale are renowned for 5 main attributes: ripeness, elegance, structure, power and complexity.

Mostly known for its ripe, powerful and generously flavoured wines, McLaren Vale produces densely coloured, velvety Shiraz; full bodied, rich, chocolate and berry flavoured Cabernet Sauvignon; and rich, juicy Grenache and Merlot from its established plantings. More recently red varieties such as petit Verdot, Tempranillo and Zinfandel have been planted with resounding success.

Whites are dominated by wonderfully varied Chardonnay – ranging from elegant citrus-tinged wines though to richer, fleshier, peach/buttery versions. This region is also renown for growing varietals such as Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Chenin Blanc which show great variation in characters. Once again much experimentation with other varieties such as Viognier, Marsanne and Verdelho have brought new interest to the region.

Ever since the humble beginnings of the first colonists McLaren Vale has progressively increased its vineyard plantings to its current statistics of 6,750 Hectares. McLaren Vale boasts over 100 independent wineries and more than 76 cellar doors.

 

 

I have no association with these businesses just the high recommendation from the Mayor of Onkaparinga-Lorraine Rosenburg

 

WINE DIVA TOUR

• Bronze Winner South Australian Tourism Awards 2011
  
• Winner 2010 Fleurieu Peninsula Tourism Awards 2010
  
• Voted No 1 on TRIP ADVISOR
  
• McLaren Vale owned and operated
  
• Luxury Mercedes Benz Viano vehicles with maximum of 7 passengers per vehicle
  
• Private tastings direct from the barrel with winemaker/grower at their vineyard
  
• Specialising in the small growers and winemakers of the McLaren Vale wine region
  
• Transfers from Adelaide CBD, Fleurieu region and Southern
  
• Small and large groups welcome
  
• Exclusive use of vehicle available
  

42 Caffrey Street, McLaren Vale SA 5171

Email:

greg@winedivatours.com.au

 

Phone: 0883239806 Mobile: 0488946363

Opening Times:

Available daily with pick ups from the Fleurieu Region, Adelaide CBD, and Southern Suburbs

 

 

Or MY RECOMENDATION

Chook's Little Winery Tours is a small family company. They offer you a unique wine experience, to discover some of the little known boutique wineries in McLaren Vale. Sample wine straight from the barrels, stroll through the vineyards and chat with the owners and winemakers themselves.

 

Tours are available for groups or individuals and can be adapted to suit your taste. A standard full day tour will visit up to six cellar door wineries and include pick-up and drop-off in Adelaide city or Glenelg. Optional extras or alternative stops include the chocolate, glass, and cheese manufacturers, beer brewery and olive crushing (May-June only).

 

Prices vary depending on the size of your group and the length of the tour. All prices include a cheese platter and light lunch prepared with seasonal local produce.

 

 

Chook’s Little Winery Tours is a small family company and your host will be Chook, a local McLaren Vale personality and wine lover.

 

 

Information and booking

Phone: 0414 922 200

Email: info@chookslittlewinerytours.com.au

Web: http://www.chookslittlewinerytours.com.au

 

 

Tours can include your choice of designated cellar doors or a specially designed tour organised by Chook or a mixture of both.

A full day tour includes collection from Adelaide CBD or vicinity at approx 9.45am, travel through the beautiful Adelaide hills, to enjoy the ambience of the great southern vales.

 

Start with a structured wine tasting from a selected number of wines ranging from crisp white wines to full bodied reds and smooth fortified muscats. These tastings also include special reserved wines not available at cellar door. Tastings are conducted in an intimate surrounding with locally pressed extra virgin olive oil, bread and olives.

 

Then, move to the next venue with stunning seasonal views through the vines.

 

Lunch is a delicious selection of locally sourced tapas-style food.

 

If you desire a cleansing ale to clean the palate after lunch, a visit to a local brewer is a very worthwhile diversion from the standard “wine tasting” day. This brewery is nestled in the McLaren Vale area and is an interesting experience even for those non beer drinking individuals.

 

You could also include a visit to a local, well-known glass studio. The artist is especially known for his unique glass blowing and stunning pieces that he produces, as featured on the “Postcards” TV programme.

 

Another hidden treasure is the rare experience of tasting wine straight from the barrel. Here, you can talk directly to the grower and wine maker who has a passion for his product. Tastings include the current vintage and then progressively back through the years.

 

Other venues can include tastings of rosé and sparkling wine as well as reds and whites coupled with a display of stunning local art.

 

We will return you to your destination full of fun and happiness at around 5.30pm.

[Australian family]

The Barossa Valley is a very beautiful area, and full of history.

[happyaussies]

Agree Barossa is beautiful and full of history but it is so over commercialized where as the Mclaren vale area still has wonderfull history, is beautiful in and around the district with a vast variance of scenery from sea to hills and has little boutique wineries where you can talk to the wine growers and makers. Most are small wineries pulling world class award winning wines!

 

It just depends on your liking: big, over commercialized factory wineries and slightly impersonal OR small, boutique and personalized family operations??????

 

I know what I enjoy!

 

Bubbs

[h & m]

Agree Barossa is beautiful and full of history but it is so over commercialized where as the Mclaren vale area still has wonderfull history, is beautiful in and around the district with a vast variance of scenery from sea to hills and has little boutique wineries where you can talk to the wine growers and makers. Most are small wineries pulling world class award winning wines!

 

It just depends on your liking: big, over commercialized factory wineries and slightly impersonal OR small, boutique and personalized family operations??????

 

I know what I enjoy!

 

Bubbs

 

 

Well said - of course being a McLaren Vale grapegrower I am totally unbiased :rolleyes:

 

Seriously, both those tour operators have excellent reputations, although I have no affiliation with them know them both, and the great service they provide.

[happyaussies]

hehehehehehehehehhehe

 

two loyal southerns here it seems!

 

Personally I think Mc vale has the best wines in Oz!

The best scenery in Adelaide and the most friendiest folks around but we have lived in the area for 30 odd years!

 

But as you said we're totally (un) biased

:D ROFL :D

[cassamanda]

Thanks for posting that info Happyaussies. We had difficulty getting a tour off the ship to Mclaren Vale that got us back in time. Will add these companies to the grey matter for future reference:)

[happyaussies]

your welcome cassamanda I was with the Mayor last week and was telling her about the missed opportunity for tourism to Mc Vale. Where she told me about these tour operators...so as said I'm not connected to the businesses but have lived in the area for many years and know what a great district we have here and what a wonderful alternative to the Barossa for foodies we have in the outer suburbs of Adelaide!

 

As h&m said "he can recommend them as they both have great reputations!"

 

If anyone does take them up or make contact I'd very much like to hear about their experience....so please come back and tell us!

 

B&B