ClareValleyThe Clare Valley, located 130 kilometres north of Adelaide, is one of our oldest wine regions. I'd say it's a premier region except that South Australia has so many regions producing excellent wines that it is difficult to place one above the other, and seems rather pointless.

The first vines in the region were planted by Jesuits in 1851, still operating as Sevenhill Vineyard, and since then the region has grown, specialising in Riesling but also producing other varieties, some of which are particularly good. The valley is roughly 40 kilometres long and contains over 40 wine producers many with cellar doors.

There are other things to do in Clare besides drink wine and these include a range of bushwalks and trails, the most famous being the Riesling Trail – a 35 kilometre trail following built on the old rail line and stretching between Auburn and White Hut. There are Art Galleries, local food producers, and a range of historical sights and museums, and a number of Bed & Breakfasts.

Take a look at the Clare Valley Business and Tourism Association for more details.

June 7th 2012 - Crabtree Wines

Details
Parent Category: South Australia
Category: Clare Valley
Created: Sunday, 24 June 2012 02:39

With the Clare Valley, the variety they excel at is Riesling, and that is also what has brought us here. Last year we stocked up on some wines from here an now the cupboard is bare. Last time we spent a few days here tasting wine and working out what we wanted, this time we know – Crabtree Riesling.


CrabTreeLogoCrabtree wines logo © 2010The Crabtree cellar door is small and rustic but great to visit. The crew make every effort to please and give great customer service. They care about the wine they produce and are more than happy to talk you through the tastings or just have a general chat. On this visit we were treated to Brendan's hospitality and enjoyed our early morning tasting.

When it comes to a good table wine that can be bought and consumed, their cellar door range is very good and at $15 a bottle ($12.50 in a dozen) is also great value. The Cellar Door range is a cold pressed blend of free run and light pressings.

For the more discerning palate, there is their Hilltop range. The Hilltop Riesling is hand-picked from the hilltop vineyard that overlooks Watervale, cold fermented and made from free run juices. The 2011 is a very light and fruity Riesling that lingers in the mouth. It would easily cellar for 5 years and for people that enjoy Riesling will find it quite delightful, and it shows off how well crafted these wines are considering how difficult the 2011 season was for growers in South Australia, with very heavy late season rain and heat affecting the grapes on the vine. If you do a web search you will find copious news reports regarding this strange La Nina season. $22 a bottle ($19 in a dozen).

Crabtree became fast favourites a year ago and continue to be so.

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