Adelaide: Take to the Streets on an Urban Wine Walk!
Adelaide, ” the city of churches” is surrounded by wine country. The hills district, Langhorne Creek, McLaren Vale, Clare & Barossa Valleys, are 30 to 90 minutes drive from the CBD, but what if these wine regions were to come to you? We’re pleased to say, at Urban Wine Walk they do!
Urban Wine Walk is the brainchild of Josh Starick, Director of Neighbourhood Events Co. Having experienced many food and wine festivals across the globe, Josh saw the potential in introducing small batch and contemporary winemakers to CBD venues. In doing so, punters receive a double whammy, exploring funky city establishments while indulging in fine wine and fare.
Registration, glass and wristband collection is encouraged the day before in order to maximise valuable tasting time on the day. The journey begins at 12:00 continuing until 17:00. With wristband on, glass and map in hand, begin your self-guided walking tour at any of the participating venues.
There are 16 in total so pop your skates on, getting to all is a challenge. Thankfully there’s a complimentary hop-on-hop-off shuttle bus making it to all stops every 30 minutes.
With 5 hours of tastings, sustenance is required. Check your vouchers to save at your matching venue. From cheese boards to Paella, each venue offers a plate of the day.
Now all you need to focus on is imbibing in noteworthy wines from many of Adelaide’s wine growing regions.
At The Bibliotheca Bar & Book Exchange (1/27 Gresham Street) meet Mark Reginato of Connective Vines, distributor for Shobbrook Wines and mate of Tom Shobbrook, the wine-maker. His hours spent enjoying Shobbrook Wines are evident in the extensive knowledge Mark shares.
With Shobbrook on the wine list at World’s Best Restaurant, Eleven Madison Park, and featured on Rene Redzepi’s Noma list, Shobbrook Wines are a must for your cellar.
The multi award-winning, Electra House (131 King William Street) provides the perfect space for the explosive flavours of Chaffey Bros Wine Co. The brothers-in-law are “reinventing the great styles of the Barossa”; Reisling, Grenache and Syrah. Minimal intervention and early picked fruit are the cornerstones of their wine-making method. Try the Funkelpunkt Sparkling Point to taste this in action. A Reisling dominated sparkling that will surprise and delight.
Wander through the exposed brick interior of Udaberri (11-13 Leigh Street) to the back “garden” and order the Urban Wine Walk’s dish of the day, Pork Rillette served with spicy-sweet Guindilla peppers. Note to self – return after 4-pm through the week or 6-pm on weekends for the pintxos menu.
Self-confessed “professional loiterer”, Justin Lane of Big Easy Radio is Udaberri’s featured wine-maker. Outgrowing his Alpha Box & Dice brand, Big Easy Radio encapsulates Justin’s laid-back, straightforward approach to life.
A cellar-door is in the making at Aldinga, although it would be pertinent to contact Justin before making the journey, you never know where he may be loitering.
At the modern Australian wining and dining Publishers Hotel (110 Franklin Street), Gestalt Wines are easily recognised by Craig Turnbull’s fellow wine-making partner, Anthony Pearce’s monochromatic label designs. Fortunately for your taste buds, the designs are not the only attention-grabbing features of Gestalt Wines.
Lightly handled premium fruit is hand harvested from small-scale vineyards following organic practices. The fresh, intense, naturally fermented wines reward the palate from their Lenswood Gewürztraminer to their Blacklight Barossa Mataro Grenache.
Cantina Sociale (108 Sturt Street) provides a place for friends to enjoy excellent quality wine and snacks while solving the problems of the world. More interested in the wine’s complexities than the points awarded, Cantina Sociale pours wine directly from the barrel.
Winemaker, John Gilbert, returned from Italy to his cool climate Adelaide Hills vineyard with Montepulciano and Zinfandel for his eccentric By Jingo Wines.
Clearly, a lover of these varietals, his “mad scientist” approach and discerning palate have created perfectly suited wines for not only the cosy confines of Cantina Sociale but just about anywhere you feel inclined to partake in a glass.
Five O’Clock Somewhere (101 Gilbert Street) has been pulled together by a bunch of like-minded lovers of life and all things wine. The 50S Project, Loom SV, ess&cee and Soaring Kite are the featured brands and can be tasted and purchased daily on site until 8 pm.
A collaboration between winemakers, farmers, graphic designers and furniture makers, this eclectic locale is full of personality and personalities. Stop by when you’re next in Adelaide’s south-west corner.
To keep up with news of upcoming Urban Wine Walk events, follow their Facebook and Instagram accounts. Urban Wine Walk Melbourne hit the streets of Richmond last weekend but if you’re in Perth December 2nd, we hope you’ve secured your tickets.
Oh, and a little birdie told us a brand new Urban Wine Walk is planned for Sydney early 2018 so keep your eyes peeled for that.
Tasting excellent wines in magnificent venues while strolling city streets: it’s a thing we love….
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16 Comments
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I mean, I can think of worse ways to spend a day!! 🙂
You and me both, Sheree. 😉
I think this will be my stop for sure one day when I decide to visit Australia. 🙂
Urban Wine Walks are on in Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane and Sydney next year, Unta. A great excuse to hit one of those cities!
I’ve not been to ADL yet but when I do go this looks like a fun idea!
Do it, Chloe, it’s so much fun! 🙂
This is such a great idea and an appreciable concept, too! I’ve only been to Adelaide once, in 2013, and only for an evening. Instead of rushing to Kangaroo Island for 25 hours on the island, I should rather have explored the city bit more. Should I go there again, I would try the wine, that’s for sure!
Adelaidians are so fortunate to have exceptional wine regions so closeby. If Urban Wine Walk isn’t on, on your next visit, I highly recommend hitting up some of the local winemakers onsite. You’ll be glad you did! 🙂
This sounds like a great date idea! But also a good idea to keep eating along the way- that’s a lot of wine in one day!!
Oh, I totally agree, Georgia. Each venue has a plate of the day so there’s no excuse to go hungry, although I must admit we didn’t get around to eating until the end of the day. So much wine, so little time! 😉
Such a perfect way to spend a day! I would love to taste all that wine. 🙂 Was it possible to buy a bottle there?
You couldn’t buy take away bottles, Agness, due to licensing laws, but the venues had bottles to drink onsite in most cases and the winemakers advised stockists.
The one exception may be Five O’Clock Somewhere. The venue was fully stocked with walls of their signature wines. It was awesome!! LOL.
Some of the winemakers also had offers for orders placed on the day, so that’s another option. 🙂
What a way to spend a day!
What a way indeed, Golden Oldies! 🙂
i concur. that was one hell of an outing ! Not a single below par drop tasted during the whole undertaking. Seeya next Tues… err year for another huge day.
Fantastic wines, awesome local venues and a fab reason to wander the streets of Adelaide. Definitely see you next ….year!