Images: Down the Rabbit Hole Wines
If there’s one thing Down The Rabbit Hole excels at, it’s reimagining what a cellar door can be. Tastings in a double-decker bus, long lunches that stretch into late afternoons, and a restaurant that feels like Nonna’s table in the middle of a garden are just part of the cellar door experience. And now there’s a new spot to sink into la dolce vita.
They’re calling it The Piazza, a sun-drenched courtyard carved into the heart of the McLaren Vale property, with more than a hint of Mediterranean piazza energy.
“Nestled between the restaurant, the bus and the flower garden — spruced up and given its own name,” the winery shared online.
Paths wind from here to tastings, to lunch, or out onto the lawn. The message is the same as it’s always been. Sip slowly, stay longer.
And with summer rolling in, the timing couldn’t be better. Walk-ins can pull up a chair beneath the trees at any time, while groups of 12 or more can now book morning sittings from 11am, an easy choice for birthdays, reunions and friends who travel in a pack. “We can’t wait to see you for a wine!” the team says.
Of course, The Piazza is just one entry point into the whimsical world that husband-and-wife duo Dom Palumbo and Elise Cook have built. Lennon – the cellar door’s iconic sky-blue bus – still pours tastings from the top deck with vineyard views (and prime content for the ‘gram).
But step back, and the experience widens. Picnic rugs scatter the lawns. Kids race between shady trees. Dogs snooze. Someone orders another bottle – why wouldn’t they? Inside the kitchen, house-made Sicilian-style pizzas, cheeseboards and small bites keep the afternoon well-fed. Larger groups can reserve tables or picnic setups, but spontaneity is encouraged.
Wine tastings remain a cornerstone and a popular pit stop for tours through the Vale. Either through casual drop-ins to the bus bar or guided flights that ease you through the Down the Rabbit Hole offering, rooted in biodynamic and organic vineyards.
But perhaps a lesser-known offering from Down the Rabbit Hole is its onsite restaurant, Fiore. Led by Executive Chef Nick Tadija and open for lunch Thursday to Sunday, Fiore specialises in wholesome Italian cuisine, showcasing the finest ingredients available, designed to emulate the generosity and abundance of Nonna’s kitchen. Tadija describes the menu as “a love letter to Italy.” There’s no à la carte, instead, guests are guided through a Feed Me experience that arrives dish by dish over two hours, encouraging you to slow down and let the kitchen set the pace.
As summer sets in, so do the rituals at Down the Rabbit Hole. Golden Times transforms Friday evenings from November until April into live music, fresh pasta, signature crispy potatoes and views of the sun melting behind the coast. Thursdays become pizza-and-wine nights, the restaurant glowing gold as the day fades.
Wherever you perch, whether it’s on the new Piazza under blue skies, inside Fiore for a long Italian feast, sprawled on the lawns with a picnic rug or up in the bus for that iconic tasting flight, Down the Rabbit Hole is a summer dream. Slow down, be here, celebrate the simple pleasures. Honour the Italians.
Down the Rabbit Hole ‘The Piazza’
Where: 233 Binney Rd, McLaren Vale SA
When: 11am-5pm Saturday to Wednesday, 11am-9:30pm Thursday and Friday
For the website, click here.
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