Riverina Wine Tasting with Local Stories & Views

Summary

Griffith Cellar Door Experience with Regional Wines

This is your chance to taste Riverina wines at a friendly cellar door just outside Griffith, with stories from locals who actually grow the grapes. Sample up to six regional wines while soaking in views of Cocoparra National Park — and maybe pick up a few winemaking secrets you’ll remember long after you leave.

What’s the experience like?

“You’ll want to smell this one,” said Lisa, our host, swirling a glass that caught the late sun. I tried, but mostly got the scent of eucalyptus drifting in from outside — it’s everywhere out here near Cocoparra National Park. The cellar door is perched up above the vines, and you can see all the way to those blue hills. I didn’t expect it to feel so open, or for everyone behind the counter to actually chat like we’d met before. Maybe that’s just Riverina style.

We’d driven out from Griffith (it’s barely ten minutes) after a lazy lunch, thinking we’d just taste a couple of wines and head back. But Lisa started telling us about her family’s vineyard — apparently her grandfather planted some of these rows — and suddenly we were talking about drought years and why certain grapes do better here than others. She poured us six different wines (I lost count after four), each with its own little story. I tried to pronounce “vermentino” properly; she laughed and said even locals get it wrong sometimes.

The air inside was cool compared to the dry heat outside, and there was this faint smell of oak barrels somewhere behind us. We tasted a red that had this earthy thing going on — not sure how else to say it — and Lisa said it was unique to their patch of land. There’s something about drinking wine right where it’s made that makes you pay more attention, you know? We lingered longer than planned, watching cockatoos swoop over the vines as the light shifted gold. Still think about that view sometimes when I open a bottle at home.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Wine Tasting Experience

• Guided wine tasting session

Top questions

How far is the winery from Griffith?

It’s about a 10-minute drive from central Griffith to the cellar door.

Is there food included during the wine tasting?

No meals are included; only wine tastings are provided.

Can kids or infants join the tasting?

Yes, children and infants are welcome; prams and strollers are allowed.

Is the wine tasting experience wheelchair accessible?

Yes, the cellar door is wheelchair accessible throughout.

Are service animals allowed at the winery?

Yes, service animals are permitted during your visit.

What’s included

Your visit includes a guided tasting of up to six Riverina wines at the architect-designed cellar door overlooking Cocoparra National Park, with plenty of local stories shared by your host before you head back to Griffith or wherever you’re staying nearby.