It’s been a while since I’ve managed to get out and about to a wine region but this one was certainly worth the wait. Clare Valley is around 1hr 45 minutes from Adelaide and is an idyllic spot for a weekend break. Fresh air, cycling and walking trails over gorgeous rolling hills, top quality restaurants and of course some stunning wineries. My kind of weekend.
Clare is famed for its Rieslings and the Riesling trail (approx. 35km long) will certainly work up a thirst but not to worry there are around 35 cellar doors to choose from en route as well as plenty of excellent restaurants, cafes and pubs.
My Clare Valley Weekend:
Accommodation
We stayed at the Watervale Retreat, little cabins perfect for a couple with freshly baked bread arriving on your doorstep each morning…heaven. Skillogalee, which is more centrally located on the Riesling trail, also has some good accommodation options, particularly if a family or group – they’re hoping to expand their options into luxury glamping too which is definitely one to look out for. In the town of Clare itself the Mill Street Retreat offers quality apartments too.
Eating
I had heard good things about the Watervale Hotel…locally sourced ingredients, friendly staff and a good atmosphere but this place exceeded my expectations. The wine list…back vintages of the iconic Wendouree with plenty of other things to choose from across the local area too. We had to order a second wine list just so we could both read it front to cover (yes, we’re those people). And the food…hands down the best steak I’ve had in Australia – expertly seasoned and cooked to perfection.
I also went away with a much longer foodie recommendation list than I started with, can’t wait to go back:
- Paulett’s Bush de Vine Restaurant for a platter and great views
- Slate at Pike’s Wines for delicious local produce
- Seed: only open Wednesday to Saturday (so we missed it sadly) but The place to go by all accounts!
- We also drove past a divinely titled Ragu & Co…I do love Italian food
The Wine
Our first stop was Crabtree Wines, mostly because it was on the doorstep of where we were staying, but the tiny little cellar door with great views was extremely welcoming. Good example of fresh, crisp riesling and the new owner we’d met at a dinner in London about 5 years ago…small world!
We’d booked in for a visit at Jim Barry and had selected the premium tasting so we’d be able to try the icon that is The Armagh (only $10 more…well worth it). I would highly recommend, an excellent tasting experience where we learnt not only the history of Jim Barry but the interwoven connection and influence of the family over the whole region. We were extremely well looked after by our cellar door host and the wines spoke for themselves. Stand out favourites included the Wolta Wolta Riesling a collaboration with the Dr Loosen Estate from Germany, a German-style riesling made from Australian grapes – excellent depth and concentration of flavour. And of course The Armagh, one of the most collected and awarded wines in Australia…it didn’t disappoint – rich fruit, complexity but such an elegant Shiraz.
We stopped for a platter at Skillogalee for lunch, a pretty spot tucked in a valley, the focus was definitely more restaurant than winery but the sparkling riesling was deliciously refreshing. Just down the road from Skillogalee is Killikanoon, a winery I’d discovered over in the UK for their crisp riesling and approachable Cabernet. A fun cellar door with lovely hosts and plenty of wines to try – a little more commercial than I had thought but easy and approachable wines that also came in larger formats (magnums are always fun).
Wendouree
So the real reason for going to Clare was for a very special experience and one that I will certainly remember for the rest of my life. I fell in love with wine for the places it takes you to, the people you meet and for the unique way it can create an indelible memory. Tasting my first Wendouree wine, then visiting the place it’s made and meeting the man who makes it was a very special wine moment for me.
If you have never heard of Wendouree, you will be forgiven, because it is entirely on purpose – the owners of Wendouree do not want fame or accolade they simply want to do what they love best and that is to make incredible wine that will stand the test of time. They grow shiraz/ cabernet/ malbec/ mataro in a stunning area of Clare with some of the oldest vines in the region – the average age of the vines is around 80 years old, the first plantings were in the late 1800s and the current owners have been making wine there since 1975. Everything is grown and produced onsite and the wines are sold entirely to their mailing list, which is still literally a mailing list in the post, and to say there’s a waitlist would be an understatement. They produce one of the most sought after and well-respected wines in Australia, even the world.
I would love to write a full report of everything these incredible people are doing to make this very, very unique and special wine but I would be doing them an injustice. I am honoured to have experienced it and will savour every sip of that wine the next time I have the privilege to drink it.
Looks amazing!!