Red White & Brew – Wine, Gin & Beer Tour with Tastings from Adelaide

Good wine is only part of the Barossa story. This eight-hour outing adds family wineries, regional gin and craft beer, giving you a fuller taste of South Australia than a standard wine-only day. I especially like the relaxed small-group format and the chance to meet local producers rather than spend the day at large commercial cellar doors.

The Pindarie Winery lunch is another strong point, with wine, cheese and a generous platter of regional produce in a restored barn on a working farm. The main thing to consider is the pace: Tanunda gets only 30 minutes, and some tastings can feel rushed or noisy when venues are busy.

Key points at a glance

• Five distinct stops: Two wineries, a gin distillery, a brewery and free time in Tanunda create a varied day.
• A proper regional lunch: Pindarie serves cheese with the wine tasting, followed by a substantial shared platter.
• Family-owned producers: Kies Family Wines and Greenock Brewers offer a more personal feel than large-scale visitor centers.
• Three gins with local character: Seppeltsfield Road Distillers uses unusual botanicals inspired by the Barossa region.
• Small-group transport: The minibus carries no more than 21 people, with pickup offered and a professional driver at the wheel.
• Guides make the difference: Dave, Thomas, Tom, Craig and Alex have all been praised for humor, local stories and flexibility.

Why this Barossa day is different

Many day trips from Adelaide focus almost entirely on wine. This one takes a broader view of the Barossa Valley, where wine is joined by gin, beer, cheese and local farm produce.

That variety matters. If your group includes one person who is less interested in wine, the gin and brewery stops give the day a second rhythm. If you already know South Australian wine, the distillery and brewery add something new. You are not simply moving from one tasting counter to another.

The tour also supports smaller Australian businesses. Kies Family Wines, Pindarie Winery and Greenock Brewers are family-run operations, and the day places more emphasis on people and production than on polished corporate presentation. I like that approach. A cellar door can tell you about a region, but a conversation with a producer often tells you why the place tastes the way it does.

The advertised price is $128.39 per person. For roughly eight hours, that includes transport from Adelaide, tastings at five stops and lunch, which makes the price reasonable for a full day in the Barossa. You are also paying to avoid the long drive back to Adelaide after drinking wine, gin and beer. That practical point is important: the professional driver lets everyone in your group take part.

The tour is limited to 21 people, though the actual group may be smaller. Several outings have had enough spare time for optional stops, including Maggie Beer’s Farm, a chocolate factory or another brewery. Do not count on those additions, but a small group can sometimes give the guide room to adjust the day.

Leaving Adelaide for the Barossa Valley

Pickup is offered, and the stated start time is 9:00 am. From the beginning, the driver is part of the experience, not just the person handling the keys. Guides such as Dave, Thomas and Tom have been praised for keeping the ride lively with local facts, stories and plenty of jokes.

Dave appears often in the feedback, and his style is clear: friendly, talkative and willing to adjust the day when conditions allow. Thomas and Craig have also received warm praise, while Alex has been singled out for making the trip fun. The company is a small family business, and that personal character seems to carry through to the tour.

The ride is also a useful introduction to the area outside Adelaide. You will hear about the Barossa and its food and drink industries as you move between stops. Just keep in mind that a lively group can make it hard to hear the guide from the back of the minibus. One person specifically found the sound system difficult, with bus noise making the problem worse.

If you want the commentary, sit where you can hear clearly and tell the driver if the sound is poor. That is a simple fix, but it is worth addressing early.

Kies Family Wines: a friendly first tasting

The first stop is Kies Family Wines, where the tasting is presented in a family-run setting. You have about 45 minutes, enough time to sample the wines without turning the first stop into a long lecture.

The appeal here is informality. The cellar door is described as relaxed, and family members are involved in pouring and talking about the wines. That can feel more welcoming than a large room where staff are serving several buses at once.

The wines receive strong praise, and the cellar door prices have been noted as good. If you find something you like, this may be one of the better places to buy a bottle for later. The visit is not just a quick sample followed by a rushed exit.

There is one practical warning. On a cold or windy day, seating may be outside, and that has not suited everyone. Conditions and seating arrangements can change, but if the weather is poor, ask whether an indoor option is available.

Pindarie Winery: the day’s main food stop

Pindarie is the centerpiece for many people. The tasting takes place in a restored barn on a working farm, with cheese selected to match the wines. That setting gives the stop a strong sense of place without requiring a formal winery tour.

You receive about 90 minutes here. The visit includes guided wine tastings, cheese and a shared platter of regional produce for lunch. Several people have found the lunch generous enough that finishing everything was difficult, so arrive ready to eat rather than expecting a small snack between tastings.

This is where the tour earns much of its value. A wine tasting alone can leave you hungry, especially after a morning departure from Adelaide. Pindarie turns the stop into a proper meal and lets you compare the wine with local food at the same table.

The experience is not guaranteed to suit every palate. One person found the platter less appealing for a member of their group, which is a useful reminder that shared regional food can be generous without pleasing everyone equally. If your group has very specific dietary preferences, the supplied details do not confirm special meal arrangements, so ask before booking.

Pindarie is also a good place to slow down. The restored barn and farm setting give you a break from the minibus, and the time here is longer than at most other stops. If you want one place to linger, this is likely to be it.

Tanunda: half an hour in the Barossa’s old town

After lunch, the tour allows 30 minutes in Tanunda. This historic town has old buildings and boutique shops, and the short stop lets you walk around and get your bearings.

I see this as a useful change of pace. You have been tasting in cellar doors and sitting down for lunch. A short walk gives you room to stretch your legs and see a town rather than only the inside of tasting rooms.

Still, 30 minutes is brief. You can browse a few shops or take a quick walk, but you will not have time for an extended visit. Some people would rather use that half hour for another tasting, a chocolate stop or a longer stay at a winery.

The guide may change the plan if weather or group timing calls for it. On one wet day, the group visited a chocolate factory and Maggie Beer’s Farm instead of spending much time walking around Tanunda. Those extras are not promised, so treat them as a possible bonus rather than part of the core tour.

Seppeltsfield Road Distillers: three regional gins

The gin stop gives the day its most unusual tasting. At Seppeltsfield Road Distillers, you sample three signature gins, each inspired by unusual and sometimes unexpected botanicals from the region.

The tasting lasts about 45 minutes and is guided. That is enough time to learn how the botanicals shape the flavor, rather than simply receiving three small pours with no explanation. For anyone who thinks a wine tour sounds repetitive, this stop adds a useful contrast.

The distillery can be popular, especially on busy weekends and public holidays. A crowded room may make conversation difficult, and one visit was affected by noise. The quality of the gin was still appreciated, but the atmosphere may not always be quiet or intimate.

There is also a small buying point to understand. You taste three gins, but a separate selection of sample bottles was not available at one visit. If you want to take home a particular gin, ask what bottles or products are available before assuming you can buy tasting-size versions.

Greenock Brewers: beer and a conversation with the brewer

The final scheduled stop is Greenock Brewers, a boutique family-owned brewery in the Barossa. You spend about 45 minutes touring the brewery, talking with the brewer and tasting several beers from the range.

Ending with beer makes sense. After wine, lunch and gin, the mood is more casual, and Greenock has been described as a welcoming pub-like place where people might happily stay longer. The owner is known for his dad jokes, and there may even be a friendly pub dog named Ollie around to add to the local feel.

The brewery visit is valuable because you see another side of regional production. You are not only sampling finished drinks. You get a look at a small operation and hear directly from the people who run it.

This stop is also the most uneven part of the day for some people. One person found the brewery ordinary, while others called it a highlight. That difference probably reflects personal taste as much as quality. Beer fans and people who enjoy small family businesses are likely to get more from the stop than visitors seeking a large, highly polished brewery tour.

The guide and group size matter

The strongest part of this experience may be the guiding. Dave is repeatedly praised for his humor, local knowledge and ability to make the ride enjoyable. Thomas, Tom and Craig receive similar comments, suggesting that the company’s guide team is a real strength rather than one lucky pairing.

The tone is relaxed, not formal. You can expect stories, jokes and a driver who may adjust the day when time and group preferences permit. That flexibility has led to extra visits on some departures, but it also means the exact flow can vary.

A maximum of 21 people keeps the group smaller than a large coach tour. The actual group size is not fixed, so do not assume every departure will feel intimate. Still, a minibus makes it easier to chat with the guide and fellow passengers, and it allows the driver to respond to the group more readily.

The tradeoff is that informal tours can depend on the people around you. A noisy group may make commentary hard to hear, and busy venues can affect the timing of tastings. Speak up if you cannot hear or need clarification. The operator has indicated that guides can try to fix those issues during the day.

Food, alcohol and practical value

The tour is designed for people who want to taste, not simply look. Wine comes at two wineries, gin at the distillery and beer at the brewery, with cheese and a regional lunch included at Pindarie.

Because you are tasting across several drink styles, the order of the day matters. The morning begins with wine, lunch arrives at the second winery, gin follows the town stop, and beer closes the schedule. You should pace yourself and make use of the food. The driver handles the road, but you are still responsible for drinking at a level that keeps the day comfortable.

At $128.39, the package is good value if you would otherwise need to arrange a designated driver, hire a car or book several separate tastings. Transport alone adds meaningful value, especially for a group that wants to sample every category.

The price is less compelling if you only want premium wine estates and long tastings. This is not built around spending half a day at one grand winery. It is a broad regional sampler, with some stops shorter than others and a strong focus on smaller producers.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Changes made inside that window are not accepted, and the tour requires a minimum number of participants. If the operator cancels because that minimum is not reached, you are offered another date or experience, or a full refund.

Who will enjoy this tour most?

I would recommend it to couples, friends and families who want several kinds of tasting in one day. It suits first-time visitors to the Barossa especially well because you get wine, gin, beer, food and a town stop without having to plan the route yourself.

It is also a good fit for people who prefer family-owned businesses and informal conversation. You are likely to appreciate the day more if a brewer explaining his setup or a guide making bad dad jokes sounds appealing.

You may want another option if you want a quiet, luxury-style wine day, extensive time at every stop or a carefully controlled tasting room experience. The plan can be affected by crowds, weather and group behavior. Tanunda is short, the gin stop can be noisy, and one tasting may feel hurried.

Those limitations are balanced by the variety. You are unlikely to confuse one stop with the next, and the day has a clear sense of movement from winery to distillery to brewery.

Should you book Red White & Brew?

Book this tour if you want a well-priced Barossa sampler with transport, lunch and more than wine. The strongest reasons are the generous Pindarie meal, the mix of family-run venues and guides such as Dave or Thomas, who bring humor and local detail to the road between tastings.

Skip it if your priority is a slow, high-end wine itinerary with long stays at a small number of estates. For everyone else, the blend of wine, gin, beer, cheese, farm food and Tanunda makes this an enjoyable and practical day from Adelaide. The 4.8 rating from 85 reviews and 94 percent recommendation fit the experience: it is not flawless, but it delivers a lot for one day.

FAQ

What is included in the Red White & Brew tour?

The tour includes pickup offered from Adelaide, transport with a professional driver, wine tastings at Kies Family Wines and Pindarie Winery, cheese and a shared regional produce platter at Pindarie, three gin tastings at Seppeltsfield Road Distillers, a brewery visit with beer tastings at Greenock Brewers, and free time in Tanunda.

How long does the tour last?

The experience lasts approximately eight hours. The stated start time is 9:00 am.

How many people can join the tour?

The tour has a maximum group size of 21 people.

Can I visit extra places such as Maggie Beer’s Farm or a chocolate factory?

Extra stops may be added when time, weather and the group allow, but they are not guaranteed parts of the scheduled experience.

Is the tour suitable for people who do not only want wine?

Yes. The day includes wine, gin and beer, along with cheese and a regional lunch. The variety makes it suitable for groups with different drink preferences.

What is the cancellation policy?

You can cancel up to 24 hours before the experience starts for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted for a refund.