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We took the day to visit some of the famous Adelaide Hills wineries and, on recommendations from viticulturist friends, we started at Nepenthe. Only minutes from the freeway, the Nepenthe winery has a great reputation among locals and a friendly cellar door.

The local area is renowned for its Sauvignon Blanc, but we decided to switch to our favourite reds. Although we tried the much touted “Hungry Ground”, we favoured the Tempranillo -a brilliant little bottle for a good price.

We then crossed the road to Shaw and Smith for a set menu of very tasty locally sourced cheese and 5 tastings of wine for $12 per person. The Riesling was a very clear and light tasting white-perfect for a blistering summer and the oakey chardonnay was beautiful. The ultra modern restaurant is a testament to the high standards these two cousins have set themselves.

Next on our tour was the infamous Maximillians. We were greeted by an emu in the field used for customers landing their helicopters. Although we were here for a wine tasting, the food and antics of the chef, Maximillian himself, are legendary. The exuberant owner is known to entertain diners with handstands and cartwheels on a regular basis.

His son, Scott, took us through their wine list. We were much more at home with the extensive Cabernet Sauvignon selection and immediately became friends with the 2001, promising to come back for a case before we leave S.A. For the mean time we left with a bottle of “Two Up” Cabernet Shiraz and a Rose. The “El Coco” co-ferment is also well worth a try.