Vigna Bottin Cellar Door & Osteria

Vigna Bottin Cellar Door & Osteria on Main Road in Willunga is an Italian-family winery and kitchen at the southern end of the McLaren Vale wine region. Dogs are welcome on a lead, which makes it one of the better lunch stops for a Fleurieu day trip with the dog aboard.

The dog setup

Well-behaved dogs on leads can join you at the relaxed outdoor seating among the vines. The one requirement is comfort around other guests and children, and the smart move is to note in your online booking that you are bringing a dog so you are seated appropriately.

Hours run 11am to 4pm Monday, Thursday and Friday, closed Tuesday and Wednesday, and 11am to 5pm on weekends. Bookings are strongly recommended for both tastings and the osteria.

The vibe

Chef Angelo's menu is homely, share-style Italian: fresh orecchiette, traditional meatballs and dishes built for a long table. The cellar door pours Italian-varietal wine flights, with sangiovese and prosecco among the drawcards, and the welcome from the hosts gets consistent praise.

Max: mention the dog in the booking notes, take a table on the vineyard side, and order the wine flight with the tasting plate so lunch stretches properly.

Getting there

The address is 192 Main Road, Willunga SA 5172, on the main street through town about ten minutes south of McLaren Vale. Parking is available on site and along Main Road.

Make a day of it

Walk it off on the Willunga Basin Trail, which loops through vineyard country from town. In the morning, Willa Coffee Shop and Bean Loved cover the coffee run with the dog.

More options are on the South Australia winery guide and the Willunga destination page.