If you’ve ever wanted your wine tasting to come with a side of adventure and a splash of old-school cool, Karrawatta has just uncorked the ultimate experience.
Their new vintage Land Rover vineyard tour at Sophie’s Hill, Meadows in the Adelaide Hills, is far from your average swirl-and-sip. It’s an intimate, guided escape for two to four guests, where you’re chauffeured through the vines in a classic open-air 4WD, learning the secrets behind the wines you’re drinking. A tour that takes guests behind the scenes and between the vine rows.
“We’ve created this experience to allow people to really see where our wines are made,,” says Mark Gilbert, who heads the family-owned estate.
“At Karrawatta, the viticulture comes first. The quality of the grapes we grow is of utmost importance, so that very little intervention happens at the winery. This experience showcases the attention to detail we put into the vineyards.”
Guests begin their visit at the elegant Sophie’s Hill cellar door, greeted with a glass of Popsie Sparkling Blanc de Blanc and a guided tasting of Karrawatta’s cool climate wines. Once you’ve selected your favourite drop for lunch, the journey really begins—aboard a very cool vintage Land Rover.
“Yes, it’s somewhere between Raiders of the Lost Ark and French Kiss,” Mark laughs.
“Guests will drive through the vine rows, and meander to the top of the Sophie’s Hill vineyard site, where the views are magnificent. You can see all the way to Mount Lofty.”
Along the way, guests hear the stories behind each block, gaining insight into the craft of grape growing, and the delicate decisions that result in such acclaimed wines.
“Even in our cellar door, you can sip wines and the very vines they’ve come from are less than 20 metres away,” says Mark.
“That connection to the provenance of the fruit is really important to our story and it’s something that guests are always blown away by.”
Lunch is served at the highest point of the vineyard, a relaxed, Italian-style spread that reflects the family’s heritage.
“We put experiences together that we’d like to do,” Mark explains.
“We love great wine, we love great food, and we love sharing our part of the world.
Mark has Italian heritage and that really comes through in how the team likes to host people. Warm and generous.
“We really want to make sure everyone feels welcome and enjoys their time here. We hope it feels like visiting family.”
As well as the new Land Rover vineyard tours the team at Karrawatta have put together something a little toasty. They have brought back their much-loved fire pit experiences.
Set at one of three spectacular vineyard locations—Sophie’s Hill, Ace of Trumps in McLaren Vale, or Christo’s Paddock in Langhorne Creek—these hosted events blend hearty seasonal fare with rustic luxury.
“There’s just something about sitting around a fire. To be able to do that and not forgo luxury food and wine is something special,” Mark adds.
With a maximum of four guests on the Land Rover vineyard tour and a minimum of ten around the fire, every experience feels intentionally intimate.
“People are looking for connections with the places they visit, and with the stories and people behind the wines,” Mark says.
“These kinds of experiences build lasting impressions and a real sense of place. They’re the future, because they turn a visit into a story worth sharing.”
And if you ask him what to savour most?
“Of course, we want you to savour our wine! But it’s the views we want you to slow down for. Vineyards are beautiful anytime of the year, and we’re lucky to have three with spectacular views.”
Karrawatta
Where: Sophie’s Hill Vineyard, 164 Greenhills Road, Meadows
When: 7 Days. 11am-4pm
For more information, click here.
