Samuel's Gorge

Samuel's Gorge is a boutique red wine producer in a rustic 1850s farm shed at Lot 10, 193 Chaffeys Road, McLaren Vale, set on a ridge with views over the Onkaparinga gorge and out to the sea. It is one of McLaren Vale's genuinely dog-friendly cellar doors: well-behaved leashed dogs are welcome through a visit, and the staff have a reputation for spoiling them.

The dog setup

Dogs on leads are welcomed at the cellar door, joining you at the outdoor seating and, when the day allows, inside the shed itself, so ask on arrival rather than assuming the dog waits outside. The team is notably accommodating, and a resident winery dog usually has the run of the place. Keep your dog leashed and settled around other tasters, and bring a water bowl as backup although the staff usually produce one on request.

Pepsi: the shed fills with people and good smells. A dog that parks itself under the tasting bench has the best seat in the house; a dog that patrols tables does not.

The vibe

Tastings run in an intimate, open setting where the team talks you through hand-crafted Mediterranean varieties: grenache, tempranillo, graciano, mourvedre and shiraz, made traditionally in small batches. The outlook over the Onkaparinga River National Park is half the experience, and the light late in the day is the best it gets. Open daily from 11am to 5pm, with weekends the busier stretch; weekday afternoons are the calm window. Book ahead on the website to be sure of a spot.

Getting there

The cellar door sits on Chaffeys Road just off Main Road, a short rural drive from the McLaren Vale township, with on-site parking. It pairs naturally with neighbouring cellar doors on the same strip.

Make a day of it

Dandelion Vineyards is right next door at 191 Chaffeys Road and takes leashed dogs at its outdoor tastings, and Oxenberry Farm Wines goes further with a dog menu, a few minutes away. Oliver's Taranga is another dog-welcoming stop for the loop home.

More options are on the South Australia wineries guide and the McLaren Vale destination page.