Ashton: Wine, Cherries and Orchards

Ashton brings together wine and fruit-growing culture with the stories of individual properties. Here, tastings of different wine ranges meet cherry growing, seasonal cuisine and the former use of a vineyard as an orchard. If you’re looking for a holiday rental in Ashton, exploring these different themes can help you choose your destination: Would you like to explore wine, discover fruit growing, or combine both with seasonal cuisine? The examples differ not only in name, but also in the kind of experience they offer.

Wine Tastings and Property History

Ashton Hills Vineyard is located in the Piccadilly Valley, 570 metres above sea level, and offers tastings of its Ashton Hills Estate and Piccadilly Valley wine ranges. The name Piccadilly Valley thus refers both to the valley where the winery is located and to one of the ranges on offer. The elevation gives a sense of the location, while the two names provide a specific connection to the ranges featured in a tasting.

The property’s history is also well established: Stephen George founded Ashton Hills Vineyard in 1982. This adds a historical dimension alongside the tasting options. If you’re interested in wine, you can factor both the ranges on offer and the winery’s history into your trip planning.

Another wine destination is Ceravolo Vineyards. The original property was established in 1974 and is located in Ashton among cherry, fig and apple trees. Here, vineyards and several types of fruit trees share the landscape. The Altezza vineyard at Casa Freschi tells a different agricultural story: it was formerly an apple orchard and is now home to Casa Freschi Cellar Door and Winery. By comparison, Ceravolo Vineyards is a property among several types of fruit trees, while Casa Freschi is defined by its former use as an apple orchard. If you’re interested in the history of agricultural land, these offer two different points of connection.

Cherry Growing, Seasonal Cuisine and Pick-Your-Own

Fruit growing is also a subject in its own right in Ashton. Ceravolo Orchards grows and harvests cherries under protected growing conditions. The Cherry Bomb Cafe focuses on local produce from places in the Adelaide Hills, particularly cherries. The menu changes seasonally, so individual dishes may vary. Each room also has a fireplace. If a particular dish matters to you, it’s best to check the current menu in advance.

Marble Hill Cherries offers a different way to enjoy the cherry theme: the family-run pick-your-own cherry orchard is at 25 Marble Hill Road in Ashton, in the Adelaide Hills. Picking your own fruit differs from a tasting, as the focus here is on harvesting it yourself. Pick-your-own availability depends on the season and weather. Before making the visit a firm part of your plans, check whether picking is available on your dates and how access is arranged.

Choose a Holiday Rental by Trip Theme

When looking for a holiday rental in Ashton, the kind of stay you want is a useful starting point. Wine tastings, fruit production and seasonal cuisine appeal to different interests; pick-your-own also depends on the season and weather. If you’re travelling together, you can first compare whether wine-growing history or cherry growing is of greater interest.

Discover more destinations: Uraidla, Oakbank, Lower Hermitage, Basket Range, Stirling, Birdwood, Kersbrook, Gumeracha.

For the broader travel overview: Adelaide Hills Council.