First Drop Wines

First Drop Wines trades its Nuriootpa cellar door as the Home of the Brave, a restored 1930s distillery building in the Provenance Barossa precinct on Barossa Valley Way. Dogs are welcome in the shaded seating out the front, which makes this one of the easier central stops for a Barossa lap with a dog in the car.

The dog setup

The deal is outdoors only: your dog joins you on the front patio, which has plenty of seating and solid shade, while tastings happen at the counter inside. Keep them on a lead and settled at your feet. Water bowls are usually available. If you are travelling with a bigger group or a restless dog, ring ahead and the team will set you up on the right table.

Pepsi: supervised the shiraz flight from the shadiest chair on the deck, accepted tapas tributes.

The vibe

This is the fun, eclectic end of Barossa wine tasting rather than the hushed one. The list pulls fruit from the Barossa, McLaren Vale and the Adelaide Hills, with flights walked through properly by staff and the Mother's Milk shiraz as the signature. A seasonal tapas menu runs midweek to Sunday to pair with the pours. Tastings are free and the door generally runs from late morning to 4pm; check the website before you set out as days can shift.

Getting there and parking

The address is 30-38 Barossa Valley Way, on the main road as it runs through Nuriootpa, with on-site parking right off the highway. It is an easy first or last stop without detouring into the valley's back roads.

Pair it with

The Para River linear paths through town suit a leashed leg-stretch before the drive, and the Nuriootpa fenced dog park covers the off-lead session. Other dog-friendly doors within a short drive include Turkey Flat in Tanunda and Levrier Wines, with Darlings Food with Passion for the coffee leg of the loop. The South Australia winery guide and the Nuriootpa destination guide fill out the itinerary.