The wines of Clare Valley wine are a puzzle. Perhaps it is only because riesling has distorted my thinking. This comes of from seeing the wines of Germany as the benchmark and thus having trouble coming to grips with the sublime delicacy, but most un-Germanic taste, of Clare rieslings.
Yes it’s the wrong thinking. But then so much of how we all act as consumers is based on prejudice, habit and silly subjective views. Perhaps the Clare should be the benchmark for riesling.
As for other whites, they do not tend to show their best. Possibly it’s a bit warm though of course wine always surprises. As for reds, well many are sublime with strange and often profound expressions coming from cabernet and malbec while mataro and grenache can also excite.
In many ways Clare has similarities to the Barossa. The striking difference is the narrow valleys, of which there are three or four, and the closeness to the western edge of the North Mount Lofty Ranges. The Barossa is positioned closer to the eastern edge.
The landscape is complex. The North Mount Lofty Range rises in altitude enough to temper the increasing heat. Combining this with the narrow valleys that have accumulated deep soils produces an interesting and variable range of vineyard sites.
I’m less certain about the vineyards that cling to the hill slopes. They struggle to survive in such a waterless landscape. I’m not a believer in vines and thus fruit becoming stressed though in the good growing years the wines are satisfactory.
One wine I am certain about is our own Fareham Estate Clare Valley Riesling. It is a good example of the quality of the wines of Clare Valley
See HERE for details of other South Australian wine regions
