Clare Valley
Hit the Spot ➺ Clare Valley
Clare Valley might be best known for Riesling, but there’s plenty more going on between those rolling hills and old stone cellars. Warm days, cool nights and serious elevation give the wines their trademark freshness—from razor-sharp whites to fragrant reds with spice, structure and plenty of life. Add old vines, ancient soils and a new guard pushing beyond the classics, and you’ve got one of South Australia’s most distinctive wine regions. Clare, but not as you know it.
punching above its altitude
Despite the name, Clare Valley isn't really one valley at all. It's a patchwork of ridges, gullies and elevated pockets, with vineyards reaching 400 to 500 metres and altitude, aspect and soils shifting dramatically over just a few kilometres. Vines first went into the ground in the 1840s, with Riesling eventually putting Clare firmly on the map—bone-dry, lime-driven and built to age for decades. These days, the classics sit alongside everything from Assyrtiko and Vermentino to Gewürztraminer and a new guard of lighter, less conventional reds. A small valley punching well above its altitude.