Mount Horrocks Wines

Mount Horrocks Wines occupies Auburn's renovated old railway station at 12 Curling Street, the southern gateway to the Clare Valley, where winemaker Stephanie Toole makes single-vineyard, certified organic and biodynamic wines. It is a small boutique cellar door, and dogs on lead are welcome in the outdoor areas, with the lawned garden beside the platform the natural spot to settle.

The dog setup

Well-behaved pets are welcome on the lawned area outside the cellar door while you taste, on lead throughout. Tastings run at private tables inside the old station rooms or outside on the railway platform and garden, so ask for an outdoor table when you arrive and keep the dog at your feet. Water bowls are not advertised, so bring your own. The setting is intimate rather than sprawling, which suits a calm, settled dog more than an excitable one.

Max: Old railway platform, quiet garden, my human deep in a Riesling flight. This is my kind of station.

The vibe

The range is Riesling-led, with semillon, shiraz, nero d'avola and cabernet sauvignon alongside, all certified organic since 2014 and biodynamic since 2020, and vegan friendly. The Cordon Cut Riesling is the one collectors ask about. Local artists hang work in the old waiting room, which gives the place a quiet gallery feel. Hours are limited: weekends and some public holidays, 10am to 5pm, so check before you drive out and book ahead for busy weekends.

Getting there and parking

The cellar door sits at the old railway station complex in Auburn, with parking on site. Auburn is about two hours from Adelaide, and the Riesling Trail runs through the village, so a walk on the trail before or after a tasting works well with a dog on lead.

Pair it with

Velvet and Willow up the road has a garden where dogs are equally welcome and covers the coffee-and-pastry morning shift. O'Leary Walker Wines at Leasingham makes a good next stop up the valley, and for the daily run Handley Street Fenced Dog Park is in the village. The area guide at Auburn and the list of dog friendly wineries in SA round out the trip.