Barossa Valley: Maggie Beer’s FarmShop Experience

Come hungry, leave inspired. This 150-minute FarmShop experience brings together a cooking demonstration, guided wine and gin tasting, and a generous platter lunch in one easy visit. I like the small group limit of 10, which gives the food demonstration a more personal feel, and I like that the hosts make room for drivers with non-alcoholic wine and mocktails.

The setting beside the dam adds real country charm, while the studio kitchen from The Cook and the Chef gives the visit a special connection to Maggie Beer’s work. The main consideration is simple: Maggie Beer herself does not host the experience, and the minimum number of bookings must be met before a session is confirmed.

Key Things To Know Before You Book

• The cooking demonstration uses seasonal produce and products from Maggie Beer’s own range, with food prepared during the session served for you to taste.
• The studio kitchen from The Cook and the Chef is part of the visit, including a chance to take a photograph there.
• Wine, gin, cider-style drinks, cordials, and mocktails can all feature in the tasting experience, depending on the host’s presentation.
• A grazing board lunch is included, with items such as cheese, pâté, salami, crackers, and dried fruit described in the experience feedback.
• The group is limited to 10 people, making this a quieter and more hands-on option than a large cellar-door visit.
• The current price is $88 per person, including the cooking session, tastings, platter lunch, and a glass of Pheasant Farm Wine.

What Makes This FarmShop Visit Different

Maggie Beer’s FarmShop is not simply a place to buy jars and bottles. This experience lets you see how the products work in a kitchen, taste them in drinks, and then enjoy them as part of a relaxed lunch.

That combination matters. A standard tasting can tell you whether you like a wine or gin. Here, you also get practical ideas for using Maggie’s products at home. The cooking session focuses on easy recipes and useful hints, rather than turning the afternoon into a formal cooking school.

I like that the day connects food with place. You check in at the FarmShop, hear about the farm and Maggie Beer’s work, then move through the studio kitchen and tasting room before eating beside the dam. It gives you a clearer sense of how the shop, farm produce, and regional drinks fit together.

The visit is also well suited to people who want more than a standard Barossa wine stop. One past couple used it as a wedding gift experience, and that makes sense. It has enough structure to feel special, but it remains social and relaxed.

Starting With a Welcome Drink and Farm Stories

Your visit begins at Maggie Beer’s FarmShop, where a team member meets you and starts the session with a drink from Maggie’s non-alcoholic Sparkling range. This is a useful opening for anyone driving, avoiding alcohol, or simply wanting a gentle start before the tastings.

The first presentation includes the story of the farm and Maggie Beer. You are not getting a full regional tour of the Barossa, but you do get context for the products you are about to taste and cook with.

The experience is hosted by the FarmShop team, not Maggie personally. That point is worth keeping clear when you book. Maggie may be around the property, and one past visitor happened to see her walking past the studio kitchen windows, but that is not part of the planned program.

Inside the Studio Kitchen From The Cook and the Chef

The cooking demonstration is the heart of the experience. You sit in the studio kitchen associated with The Cook and the Chef and watch the host prepare seasonal food using fresh produce and products from Maggie’s range.

The recipes are designed to be useful at home. Past participants particularly liked that the methods were simple and that the hosts explained how to get more from the products. You are given recipes and practical hints, so this is not just a show where you watch a finished dish appear on a plate.

The best part is that you taste the food made during the demonstration. That lets you judge the result for yourself and see how the ingredients work together. It also means the cooking section feels connected to lunch rather than like a separate stage performance.

You can ask questions during the session, and the small group size should help. With no more than 10 participants, the room is better suited to conversation than a large class. One useful detail from the feedback is that staff have been flexible with dietary requests, though you should still mention your needs when booking or checking in.

There is also time for a photograph in the studio kitchen. If this setting matters to you, bring a camera or phone and ask the host about the best moment. The kitchen is one of the more distinctive parts of the visit, especially for anyone familiar with Maggie Beer’s television work.

From Cooking Tips to Pheasant Farm Wines

After the kitchen session, the group moves to the tasting room for a guided look at Pheasant Farm Wines and Maggie’s Orchard Gin.

The wine tasting is not treated as a quick pour-and-move-on stop. The host explains what you are tasting and helps connect the drinks to the food you have just seen prepared. That makes the tasting easier to follow if you are not confident with wine.

The setting is also friendly for mixed groups. If you are the driver, the FarmShop offers non-alcoholic wine and mocktails while other people sample the alcoholic drinks. That is a thoughtful touch, since one person in a group often has to stay responsible for the drive through the Barossa.

The tasting can include more than wine. The experience specifically includes Maggie’s Orchard Gin range, and the drinks served during past sessions included gin cocktails with different flavor combinations. Maggie’s cordials and other non-alcoholic drinks may also appear as part of the presentation.

I would treat this as a guided introduction rather than a full winery education. The emphasis is on enjoying the products and understanding how they can be used, not on a technical lesson in viticulture or distilling.

Maggie’s Orchard Gin and the Fun Part of the Tasting

The gin section adds variety to the afternoon. Instead of keeping the whole visit focused on wine, the FarmShop team shows how Maggie’s Orchard Gin works in drinks and serves it in a more social format.

Past participants especially liked the gin cocktails. They were described as tasty and different, which suggests that the session is not limited to sipping neat gin from a small glass. The cordial and mocktail options also help keep the tasting lively for anyone who does not drink alcohol.

This part will suit you if you enjoy trying regional products but do not want a serious or formal tasting. The tone appears generous and welcoming. Hosts have been praised for giving their time freely and explaining the products in an approachable way.

Keep in mind that the precise selection may vary with the season and the host. The experience promises a guided tasting of the Pheasant Farm Wines and Maggie’s Orchard Gin range, but it does not provide a fixed list of every bottle or cocktail.

Lunch Beside the Dam

The included lunch is a full grazing platter served on the dam. It is more substantial than a token snack, and it gives the visit a proper pause after the cooking and tasting sessions.

The platter has been described as including cheese, pâté, salami, crackers, dried apricots, and dried pears. You also receive a glass of Pheasant Farm Wine to enjoy with it. The exact items may change, but you can expect the lunch to follow the FarmShop’s produce-led style.

You can choose when to have the platter during your visit, according to one past description. Some people ate it straight away, while others waited until after the cooking and tasting. If you prefer a proper meal early in the afternoon, ask the team about having it first.

The dam setting is one of the reasons this experience feels more like an agritourism visit than a shop appointment. You are eating in the place where the products are presented, rather than being sent to a separate restaurant. That makes the lunch feel connected to the farm.

The meal is also useful for pacing. A cooking class followed by wine and gin without food would be a poor plan. Here, you have a platter and a glass of wine included, so you are not relying on tastings alone.

Time for the FarmShop and Barossa Trails

The FarmShop itself is part of the experience, and you can expect time to look at Maggie Beer’s products after seeing them used in the kitchen. The demonstrations may encourage you to buy ingredients for making the recipes at home.

The visit also highlights the trails around the Barossa Valley, though the supplied details do not promise a guided walk or a set trail itinerary. I would not book this expecting a hiking tour. Think of the surrounding property and trails as an extra reason to allow time around your FarmShop visit.

If you want to explore the area, check how much free time you have before or after the 150-minute session. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included, so you need to arrange your own transport to Maggie Beer’s FarmShop.

Is $88 Good Value?

At $88 per person, the price is fair if you plan to use most of the inclusions. You receive a small-group cooking demonstration, food prepared during the session, a guided wine and gin tasting, a full grazing platter, and a glass of Pheasant Farm Wine.

The value is strongest for people who would otherwise pay separately for lunch, a tasting, and a food-focused activity. You also get access to the studio kitchen and the chance to take part in a more personal FarmShop visit.

It is less compelling if you only want a quick wine tasting or a simple meal. The experience takes two and a half hours, and much of the cost pays for the hosted demonstration and guided presentation. If you are not interested in cooking or Maggie Beer products, a shorter cellar-door stop may suit you better.

Past feedback praised the food, staff, and setting again and again. One detailed account also described buying products from the platter and ingredients used in the demonstration. That is a good sign for the real value of the visit: you can leave with ideas, not just a memory and a tasting glass.

Who Will Enjoy This Most?

I would recommend this experience to:

• Couples looking for a food-focused Barossa outing
• Fans of Maggie Beer’s television work and products
• Small groups wanting a relaxed shared activity
• Visitors who prefer a hosted experience to a simple shop visit
• Drivers who want non-alcoholic tasting options
• People searching for a thoughtful gift or special afternoon
• Anyone who enjoys cooking ideas they can repeat at home

Families may also enjoy it, but keep the 150-minute length in mind. One past family had to skip the farm walk because a baby had reached the end of their patience. The cooking and tasting still worked well, but the outing is not built around children’s entertainment.

You should also be comfortable with a food-and-drink format. The experience includes alcohol, although non-alcoholic options are available. It is not the right choice if you want a strenuous outdoor activity or a detailed walking tour of the Barossa.

Practical Details Before You Go

Check in at Maggie Beer’s FarmShop, where a team member will meet you. The tour is conducted in English and is wheelchair accessible.

The group is limited to 10 participants, but minimum guest numbers apply before the experience is confirmed. The duration is 150 minutes, with starting times based on availability.

Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included. You will need to make your own way to the FarmShop, so plan the timing carefully if you are combining this with other Barossa stops.

The cancellation policy is flexible: you can cancel up to 24 hours before the experience for a full refund. You can also reserve now and pay later, which helps if your South Australia plans are still taking shape.

Should You Book Maggie Beer’s FarmShop Experience?

Book it if you want a well-paced food afternoon with cooking, drinks, lunch, and a strong sense of place. The small group, helpful hosts, studio kitchen, and substantial platter make it more rewarding than a basic tasting.

I would be especially keen to book this for a couple, a food-loving friend, or a driver-and-taster group. Just remember that Maggie Beer may not be present, the session needs enough bookings to go ahead, and the trails are not presented as a guided walking tour.

For $88, you get a lot in one visit. If you value good food, practical recipes, and a relaxed FarmShop setting, this is one of the stronger food experiences to add to a Barossa Valley day.

FAQ

Where does the experience begin?

You check in at Maggie Beer’s FarmShop in South Australia, where a member of the FarmShop team will meet you.

How long does the experience last?

The experience lasts 150 minutes, or two and a half hours.

Is Maggie Beer personally hosting the experience?

No. The experience is hosted by the team at Maggie Beer’s FarmShop, not Maggie Beer personally.

What food is included?

You receive food prepared during the seasonal cooking demonstration and a full grazing platter lunch. The platter has included items such as cheese, pâté, salami, crackers, dried apricots, and dried pears.

What drinks are included?

The visit begins with a drink from Maggie’s non-alcoholic Sparkling range. It also includes a guided tasting of Pheasant Farm Wines and Maggie’s Orchard Gin, plus a glass of Pheasant Farm Wine with lunch.

Are non-alcoholic options available?

Yes. Non-alcoholic wine and mocktails are available for drivers, and Maggie’s cordials may also feature in the tasting.

Is the experience wheelchair accessible?

Yes, the experience is wheelchair accessible.

What happens if I need to cancel?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. The experience also offers a reserve now and pay later option.