Coonawarra S.A.
Coonawarra Wine Region Weekend Tour
$950 twin share $1,050 single
Australia's other "red centre"
If you enjoy rich, colourful wines, you’ll love the Coonawarra. Just over the border in South Australia Its Cabernet Sauvignon is internationally renowned and its Shiraz isn’t far behind. The region’s terra rossa soil (red soil containing limestone) is perfect for grape growing.
Coonawarra is a small region, only 20 kilometres in length and two kilometres in diameter. Despite this, it is home to more than 24 cellar doors all close together.
Australia's oldest cool climate hub (grapes have been grown here since the early 1890s), Coonawarra is also famous for its ancient "Terra Rossa": a cigar-shaped red soil strip about 12km by 2km in a flat, remote landscape between Melbourne and Adelaide with a climate similar to Bordeaux.
Grapes grown in this fertile, free draining limestone-based soil are used in part or full in many of the region's top wines, giving them regionally-distinct structure and complexity.
While Coonawarra has always been known for dark-fruited, complex and age-worthy cabernets at an affordable price there's a new charge of highly-praised labels emerging from the region that are vibrant and elegant with reined-in tannins.
And although Coonawarra's versions of cabernet sauvignon are considered amongst the purest and finest expressions of cabernets globally, you'll also find brilliant renditions of shiraz and chardonnay. The result? Coonawarra now really does have something for every palate.
FRIDAY
Early morning departure as we will board our minibus to Penola (heart of the Coonawarra wine region). When we arrive we will stop for lunch (included), visit a winery in the afternoon, then after check into our accommodation and enjoy dinner (included)
SATURDAY
After breakfast (included) we visit the amazing wineries right on our doorstep for a full day of exploring this region.
When we arrive back its time to relax for an hour before we refresh and get ready to venture out for dinner again (included) and a relaxing night.
SUNDAY
After breakfast (included) we check out of our accommodation and head off for some local sightseeing, (lunch at own expense) and fly back to Melbourne in the afternoon.