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Adelaide HillsEvent Space · Indoor Tastings · Restaurant
The Balnaves family have been in Coonawarra since 1855. Doug and Annette sold the family farm and planted their first vines in 1975, at the southern end of the terra rossa strip on the Riddoch Highway, and the first Balnaves of Coonawarra wines followed in 1990 when Pete and Kirsty joined them. It's still family-owned and hands-on, with Maddie LeMire as winemaker.
Cabernet Sauvignon makes up around 70% of the vineyard, alongside Merlot, Shiraz, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Chardonnay. The vines are worked in small one-to-two hectare blocks, each assessed separately every vintage, and the winemaking builds for complexity and structure — layered fruit, oak and tannin, with texture as well as flavour on the finish.
Tastings take place either on the pond-side deck or inside the glass-floored wine room, with staff guiding guests through the range while sharing the property's history. Cheese platters are available to accompany the wines, and both indoor and outdoor seating areas feature a fire for cooler days. Dogs are welcome on the lawn and deck areas.
You can expect the following from a tasting at Balnaves:
