I always love how people think that ‘Adelaide is boring’. It is true though; if you are new in town and not very open to new experiences, Adelaide could probably be pretty boring. However, the hidden gems shine with an intense brightness and when daring to go off of the beaten tracks – that is where Adelaide and SA get super exciting.

And so, while I love to get all dressed up to go to some fancy wine dinner or tasting, I am also equally as intrigued with an invite to head off to the trails and don my hiking boots. Another great thing about SA – it is always only a short trip to great wine and amazing little hiking tracks. Have you ever been to Brownhill Creek? Less than fifteen minutes away from the CBD you will find yourself in a lovely green setting with little trails to walk and little spots to sit down for a picnic. Tom Robinson from the Hydropath Society took stock of all these things on offer and decided to combine it all into one for the “Wine Walkabouts”.

Step 1; get those hiking boots out, but also do not get scared by the word ‘hike’ – you are not heading off to do the Heysen trail in one sitting.

Step 2; meet up with Tom and his lovely partner Sarah at the setting for that day. We started at Brownhill creek for “Cool climate by the Creekside”, but other walks have started at the Waite conservation park, Carrick Hill and the Beaumont loop.

Step 3; get ready to live that rich Bohemian lifestyle with a wine glass in one hand, a delicious morsel in the other all while being outdoors.

Step 4; walk, talk, meet people from all walks of life that are interested in wine in whatever way, shape or form. Really – it is that easy and equally as enjoyable!

Now, if you have made it to this point but are still not convinced because you are simply not that much of a fan of anything ‘outdoorsy’, take a look at the wine list. Starting the day off with sparkling and a couple of whites, Tom picked some lovely local drops from Greenhill wines and Michael Hall as well as a Mosel Riesling. From there on we moseyed on; closer to the creek and onto some Chablis and a great selection of Pinot Noirs. As the day continued we moved away from the cool climate theme and onto some Grenache – including a delicious Grenache Blanc from Yangarra, as well as Tom’s own Hydropath Society ‘the Sleeper’ Grenache -, Nebbiolo and a Shiraz to top off the afternoon with a late lunch.

Tom speaks wine fluently and lets his experience roll during the day; from his rich career in both the US and Australia, to wine marketing, flavour profiles and talking up the wines he is pouring (and not just his own!) – he will let you in on anything you would like to know about. He wants you to get excited about this relaxed way of tasting wine and taking it away from bright lights and the wine snobs that sometimes pop up in the industry. This is what makes him a great host for the Wine Walkabouts and his enthusiasm will stick with you for days after. So, go on – take the path less travelled and bring a glass with you, the Wine Walkabouts will kick off again after Adelaide shrugs off winter.  

Written by Dr. Lieke van der Hulst who is the WCA Wine Media Cadet in 2018 and is also an avid wine enthusiast, science lover, and communicator.