Rockford Wines

Rockford Wines is a traditional Barossa cellar door in a rustic stone barn on Seppeltsfield Road at Tanunda, known for its Basket Press Shiraz, its Sparkling Shiraz and old-fashioned winemaking on antique equipment. Dogs on leads are welcome in the outdoor courtyard while you taste, which makes it a workable stop on a Barossa drive with the dog in the car.

The dog setup

Well-behaved dogs on a lead can join you in the courtyard and grounds while you taste, but pets are not permitted inside the stone-barn tasting room, assistance dogs excepted. Water bowls are often put out in the courtyard, though bringing a travel bowl is safer on a busy day. The ground is gravel and the courtyard is exposed, so a shaded spot for the dog matters in summer.

The vibe

This is one of the Barossa's busiest cellar doors, and the courtyard foot traffic at peak times is constant, so a dog comfortable around crowds does much better than a nervous one. Private tastings are the quiet way in, and mid-week visits are calmer all round. Tastings run 11am to 5pm, seven days.

Max: book the private tasting if your dog is unsettled by crowds. The courtyard on a Saturday afternoon is a scrum, and a nervous dog will not enjoy it.

Getting there and parking

The winery sits at 445 Seppeltsfield Road, 5 to 10 minutes northwest of Tanunda on the Seppeltsfield Road wine trail. There is a gravel car park at the winery that fills during busy periods, so earlier in the day is easier.

Pair it with

Turkey Flat Vineyards on the edge of Tanunda welcomes dogs in its shaded grounds, and Artisans of Barossa on Vine Vale Road has lawns where dogs on leads are welcome outside. Both pair well with Rockford on a day loop, and the parks and ovals around Tanunda give the dog a run between stops.

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