Watkins Cellar Door

Watkins Cellar Door pours handcrafted, estate wines from a rustic building at 59 Grants Gully Road, Chandlers Hill, on the Adelaide Hills side of the McLaren Vale gateway. The official policy is refreshingly simple: dogs are welcome as long as they stay on a leash at all times, so a tasting here is a proper outing for the dog rather than a reason to leave it home.

The dog setup

Leashed dogs are welcome across the cellar door, and the terrace is the natural spot with them when the sun is out. Tastings are seated in the Tasting Room or the more casual Wine Shed, and bookings are highly recommended because walk-in seating can't be guaranteed. Each booking gets a 120 minute slot with a tasting that runs about 30 minutes, so there is plenty of time for the dog to settle under the table.

It suits calm dogs that will lie quietly on a lead for a couple of hours. If yours is still working on that skill, burn some energy first at Minkarra Dog Park in Happy Valley before you arrive.

The vibe

The wines are made by Sam Watkins, a winemaker and Master of Wine student, with the range spanning Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc and other modern styles. Cheese platters are on offer and the whole place has a slow-down, family-run feel. Staff are happy to talk through the family history along with the wine, and the FAQ cheerfully confirms the dog policy with the words "doggos are welcome". Non-drinkers are welcome too, with beer available.

Pepsi: book ahead. My humans rocked up on a Saturday without a booking and spent ten minutes doing puppy eyes at the door before a table freed up. A five minute phone call avoids the indignity.

Getting there

The address is 59 Grants Gully Road, Chandlers Hill, about 30 minutes from the Adelaide CBD, with on-site parking. The cellar door trades Thursday to Monday and closes Tuesday and Wednesday; check the Google listing for current hours before you drive out, as they can shift seasonally.

Pair it with

Main & Cherry Cellar Door sits directly across the road and also takes leashed dogs, which makes an easy two-stop afternoon. For a leg stretch first, the Flagstaff Rotary Walk and the Sturt River Linear Park are both short drives away.

More options are on the South Australia dog friendly winery guide and the Chandlers Hill destination page.