Whistle Post Estate & Cellar Door

Whistle Post Estate sits on the Riddoch Highway right on the edge of Penola township, a modern boutique cellar door with a strong pet-friendly reputation across the Coonawarra region. Dogs are part of the welcome here in a practical way: water bowls put out for visiting dogs, room to linger, and you can bring your own food to make a proper stop of it rather than a standing tasting.

The dog setup

Dogs on a lead are welcome across the grounds and on the partly shaded deck, though not inside the cellar door itself. Water bowls are provided, and treats such as kangaroo chews have been known to appear, while Alfie the resident Labrador often handles the greetings. Keep your dog supervised and settled around other guests, and clean up after them.

Worth knowing

The estate is known for acclaimed Cabernet Sauvignon and a setting built for lingering over a glass rather than rushing a tasting list. Because guests can bring their own food, a picnic lunch on the lawns with the dog alongside is an easy plan. Open daily, generally 11am to 6pm.

Getting there and parking

The address is 15712 Riddoch Highway, on the northern edge of Penola, with on-site parking by the cellar door. It is close enough to central Penola that anyone staying in town can walk over with the dog rather than driving.

Close by with the dogs

Penola's town centre is a short walk for dog-friendly cafes, and the Riddoch Highway strip carries a run of cellar doors that take dogs outdoors: Hollick Estates with its dog-friendly restaurant balcony, Parker Coonawarra Estate, Raidis Estate and Bellwether Wines in its 1868 stone shearing shed. The South Australia wineries list and Penola guide round it out.

Pepsi: Water bowls waiting on the deck and your own picnic on the lawn. Pack the mat and this becomes a proper afternoon.