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Adelaide: A Great Wine Capital

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Tasting Australia, Adelaide. Credit: South Australian Tourism Commission

Adelaide: A Great Wine Capital of the World

Adelaide, South Australia, is proudly recognised as one of the world’s leading wine destinations through its membership in the prestigious Great Wine Capitals Global Network– a title we’ve held since 2016.

Founded in Bordeaux in 1999, the Great Wine Capitals Global Network brings together 11 of the world’s most iconic wine cities. From the Old World to the New, these capitals work together to foster sustainability, innovation and excellence in the global wine industry.

Adelaide’s position as a Great Wine Capital of the world celebrates our world-class wine, our commitment to sustainability and innovation, and our culture’s deep connection to wine.

The Adelaide chapter of the Great Wine Capitals Global Network is a proud collaboration between: 

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Adelaide | South Australia

Why South Australia?

South Australia is known as Australia’s wine capital, producing more than 50% of Australia’s bottled wine and 80% of its premium wine. With 18 distinctive wine regions, 3,250 vineyard owners and 700 wineries, there’s no denying the scale and diversity of South Australia’s wine landscape.  

And with 200 cellar doors just an hour’s drive from Adelaide, unforgettable wine experiences are always within reach.

We’re also a hub for wine innovation and education. Adelaide is home to:

  • The National Wine Centre
  • Wine Australia
  • Australian Grape and Wine
  • The Australian Wine Research Institute
  • The University of Adelaide  

South Australia is also home to some of the oldest vines in the world, protected by world-class biosecurity standards which have kept SA free from the vine-ravaging pest, phylloxera.

Adelaide, South Australia has been a member of Great Wine Capitals since being unanimously accepted into the network in 2016. 

Who is in the Great Wine Capitals Global Network?

  • Adelaide, South Australia (Australia)
  • Bordeaux (France)
  • Bilbao/Rioja (Spain)
  • Hawke’s Bay (New Zealand)
  • Lausanne (Switzerland)
  • Mainz/Rheinhessen (Germany)
  • Mendoza (Argentina)
  • Porto (Portugal)
  • San Francisco/Napa Valley (USA)
  • Valparaíso/Casablanca Valley (Chile)
  • Verona (Italy) 

Rather than competitors, these cities collaborate – sharing insights, growing together, and setting global benchmarks for wine tourism, production, and education. 

Key Programs and Initiatives

Best Of Wine Tourism Awards

The Best Of Wine Tourism Awards shine a light on innovation and excellence in wine tourism. South Australian winners compete internationally for global recognition and take part in the People’s Choice Award – raising the bar for wine tourism standards worldwide.

Explore the awards

Outbound Knowledge Exchange

The Outbound Knowledge Exchange is an exciting bursary program that sends South Australians overseas to learn from international leaders in winemaking, viticulture, sustainability, agtech and more. They return home with insights that strengthen and grow our local industry. 

Learn about the program

Executive Business Program

Delivered in partnership with the Adelaide Business School, the Executive Business Program helps current and aspiring wine and tourism leaders sharpen their business acumen and build stronger, more sustainable ventures. Scholarships are available to exceptional candidates. 

Discover more 

Connect and Explore

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Our History

In order to understand what makes a globally renowned wine state tick, it is important to pause a moment and wind the clock back thousands of years.

Learn more

Related Pages

Facts & Figures

South Australia produces 80% of Australia’s premium wine, exports to 98 countries, and leads the nation in sustainable vineyards and wineries.

Our History

In order to understand what makes a globally renowned wine state tick, it is important to pause a moment and wind the clock back thousands of years.

Our People

Behind every bottle of South Australian wine is a person – often an entire family – with soil clinging to their Rossi Boots, agriculture in their hearts, and stories to tell.
Two people walking in nature with wine

Our Sustainability Story

When a vineyard buzzes with life, you feel it. It’s there in the flutter of delicate insect wings, in the rustle of tiny beneficial predators, and in the fleeting glimpse of bees and microbats as they go about their day.

Our Vines

Our state is home to some of the world’s oldest vines, due to rigorous biosecurity measures which keep the state free from the vine-ravaging pest phylloxera.