Hugo Wines

Hugo Wines is a family-owned, single-vineyard cellar door on Elliott Road at McLaren Flat, in the hills behind McLaren Vale. The door opens seven days, 11am to 4pm, and dogs are part of the visit on lead across the outdoor seating and lawn.

The dog setup

Well-behaved dogs on lead are welcome to join the tasting, with the open lawn areas the natural spot to settle rather than the tasting bench itself. The venue lists dog-friendly status among its selling points, and the lawns give a dog somewhere to lie while you work through a flight. Bring your own water bowl and waste bags to be safe, and book an outdoor table on weekends when the lawn fills.

The vibe

This is a relaxed family estate rather than a polished showpiece, with views over its own vines and an open fire for winter tastings. The cellar door pours single-vineyard estate wines, with fiano and sparkling wines drawing attention alongside the reds. Cheese platters run every day and regional platters built on South Australian producers appear Friday to Sunday, which is enough to turn a tasting into lunch.

Getting there

The address is 246 Elliott Road, McLaren Flat, about five to ten minutes drive from McLaren Vale township and under an hour from Adelaide. On-site parking covers the cellar door, and the surrounding flat roads make it an easy run if you are stringing several cellar doors together.

Pair it with

Nearby cellar doors on the same circuit include Hastwell and Lightfoot and DogRidge Vineyards, both in McLaren Flat, and Sam I Am Cafe covers breakfast in the Vale. If you are making a weekend of it, WayWood Wines and Accommodation is the local winery stay.

More options are on the South Australia dog friendly wineries guide and the McLaren Flat destination page.