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Did you know Aussies drink more wine than any other alcoholic beverage? From a crisp glass of savvy b to a bold bottle of cab sav, we love our ‘grape juice’ – so much so that we build entire weekends around sipping our way through the country’s best wineries.
South Australia is arguably the go-to state for wine tours and escapes – and it does much of the heavy lifting (and crushing), producing roughly 50 per cent of the nation's entire pour. It checks out, then, that Adelaide is home to the National Wine Centre – dubbed ‘Australia’s home of wine’ – which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.
The biggest drawcard of this boozed-up landmark is its tasting room – the largest in the country – which pours more glasses than anywhere else in Australia. Here, you can sip and swirl 120 diverse drops from 65 domestic wine regions. The best part? The Centre sits in the heart of the Adelaide CBD, meaning you can stroll back to your hotel after – no deso driver required.
Before heading off, you’ll want to check out the Southern Hemisphere’s largest open-air cellar, housing up to a staggering 14,000 bottles of wine. Its floor-to-ceiling racks showcase 160 South Australian producers from the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Adelaide Hills, Clare Valley and beyond.
And don’t be intimidated: while wine snobs can geek out over sommelier knowledge and viticultural history, casual drinkers are guaranteed a fun (and boozy) outing.
To celebrate 25 years, the National Wine Centre will release a special-edition Botanic Rosé – the only wine in the Southern Hemisphere made from grapes grown in an urban botanic garden. It will also uncork a fresh series of events, including twilight tours and a pop-up garden bar. You can find out more here.