Image: Ben McMahon
For a cellar door that opened just four months ago, this wasn’t the moment anyone expected. Least of all Kirsty and Brendon Keys.
“Being chosen as the best cellar door person was a big shock, that’s for sure,” says Kirsty. “We did not expect this, especially after only four months of opening our tasting room. I didn’t even have a speech prepared. But it is a huge and wonderful honour, it’s lovely to be rewarded for all the hard work.”
Last month at the National Wine Centre, the Adelaide Hills Wine Region announced its 2025 ‘people awards’, spotlighting individuals who elevate the Hills’ identity beyond the glass. The Chanticleer Award for Best Cellar Door Person – complete with its quirky rooster trophy – was given to both Kirsty and Brendon, and will now sit at BK Wines in Basket Range for the next twelve months. It’s an incredible feat for a cellar door that seats just twelve, tucked inside a working winery shed surrounded with colourful skate decks on the walls and BK’s creative personality everywhere.
The judges, who visited every cellar door incognito, praised the pair’s “relaxed style, attention to guests, and personal storytelling”, noting that they balanced “product knowledge with personality” and made them feel “like part of the BK Wines community”.
“BK Wines offers one of the most character-filled cellar door experiences in the Hills,” they said. “Both the environment and the hosts align perfectly with the Chanticleer Award’s emphasis on story, connection, knowledge, and a desire to return.”
Ask Kirsty what makes a great cellar door person, and the answer cements her title. “Making people feel welcome, consistency, knowledge and warmth — being able to talk about the region and recommend other cellar doors to visit,” she says.
“I think our tasting room is very authentic, and we are good ambassadors for the Hills.”
Their award also hints at the evolution of BK Wines itself, a label long known for its cult following but only recently given a physical home. The tasting room opened this winter, bringing to life the world Brendon and Kirsty have built over nearly two decades, a world shaped by minimal-intervention winemaking, art, travel, skate culture, vinyl, Japan, and a sense of hospitality that’s connection-centric.
BK Wines has always been about intention rather than scale, and nothing about this award changes that. “We want to keep doing what we are doing and making beautiful heartfelt wines,” Kirsty says. “We want to grow as a brand, but not in size.”
And true to the community spirit of the Hills, she’s quick to hand the spotlight back to her peers. “A big thank you to the other amazing cellar doors in the Adelaide Hills who have recommended us to their customers and vice versa, it really goes to show the community spirit here, and we love being part of this beautiful region.”
Runner-up finalists this year included Anthony Coles from Vinteloper and Agnes Wyszomirska from Ondeen.
Four months in, BK Wines has already carved out its place in the Hills for its intimate, character-driven cellar door and hosts that are as much a part of the experience as the wines themselves. And now, officially, they’re the best cellar door people in the region.
Find more info on the Adelaide Hills Wine Show 2025 winners here.
BK Wines wins Best Cellar Door Person
Where: Adelaide Hills Wine Show 2025
Location: Opposite 90 Knotts Hill Road, Basket Range
For the BK Wines website, click here.
@bkwines
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