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An Australian wine tasting road trip could be a great travel hook. Australia is a big exciting country. There is so much to do that a tourist could be overwhelmed... you need a focus. Other visits we concentrated on seeing Australia's cities or natural wonders. We've been birding and snorkeling and diving, but for this visit wine tasting was the hook. 
Wine tasting in Australia couldn't be easier, the biggest problem is choosing an area to concentrate on. There are about 60 wine producing regions throughout Australia. Be warned, some of the Australian road signs will tempt you to linger and watch for all that great Australian wildlife... and that will make you're trip longer and even more fun! 
In California, we look for Tasting Rooms when we visit wineries. In Australia, wine tasting rooms are called Cellar Doors... they are open and welcoming in all of the wine regions we visited. 
We started in South Australia and drove in a semi-circle around Adelaide visiting the most famous wine regions around there....the Clare Valley, the Barossa Valley, Adelaide Hills, McClaren Vale, Langhorne Creek and Coonawarra. We tasted and toured our way through Victoria and Tasmania.... ...Visiting old travel friends and friends at Taltarni Winery in the little town of Moonambel in the Pyrenees. We ended our wine tasting road trip in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales.
Things to Know for Australian Wine TastingRemember that you'll be driving on the left and that the legal limit for blood alcohol level in Australia is .05. Some of the bigger wineries have breathalyzers on hand so you can make sure you're legal to drive. Many have dining rooms or delis attached so you can get something to eat... and they all will encourage you to drink lots of water. Most tastings are free, and they open almost everything they produce, so you have to be judicious and careful!
We tasted at 45 wineries in 10 wine producing regions, but we didn't spend all of our time at wineries. In Victor Harbor we enjoyed the great sea views from our funky historic hotel, visited a penguin colony, and rode on a horse drawn tram over the bay.
We did some birdwatching in Coorong National Park then after driving through a sea of grapes in Padthaway, we stopped in Naracoorte. There we visited caves with the remains of giant prehistoric kangaroos and saw a few modern day skippies along side the road. 
We hiked in the Grampians, and explored Tasmania. We ended the whole trip with three days at Uluru (or Ayers Rock)... and celebrated with some Australian sparkling wine. It's a great trip... see Australia your own way, by all means, but whether you're real wine aficionados like we are or you just would like to try one or two... Australian wine tasting is fun and easy.
Happy travels... even if you don't travel the world... just remember that life is a journey... embrace and enjoy it! Judy and Mark Share Amusing or Confusing Roadsigns You Have Seen Go from Australian Wine Tasting to MouseToursTravels Home Page
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