Clare Valley
Encyclopedia
- See also Clare Valley (disambiguation).
The Clare Valley is one of Australia's
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
oldest wine regions, best known for Riesling
Riesling
Riesling is a white grape variety which originated in the Rhine region of Germany. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet and sparkling white wines. Riesling wines are usually varietally...
wines. It lies in the Mid North
Mid North
The Mid North is a region of South Australia, north of the Adelaide Plains, but not as far north as the Far North, or outback. It is generally accepted to extend from Spencer Gulf east to the Barrier Highway, including the coastal plain, the southern part of the Flinders Ranges, and the northern...
of South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
, approximately 120 km north of Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
. The valley runs north-south, with Main North Road
Main North Road
Main North Road is the major north-south arterial route north of the city of Adelaide, South Australia.From the Adelaide city centre, it passes through the Adelaide Parklands and the suburbs of Thorngate, Medindie, Medindie Gardens, Nailsworth, Prospect, Sefton Park, Blair Athol and Enfield before...
as the main thoroughfare.
Pre-European settlement
The original inhabitants of the Clare Valley were the NgadjuriNgadjuri
The Ngadjuri people are a group of Indigenous Australians whose traditional lands lie in the mid north of South Australia with a territory extending from Gawler in the south to Orroroo in the north...
people. It is believed that they had major camping sites at Clare
Clare, South Australia
The town of Clare is located in South Australia in the Mid North region, 136 km north of Adelaide. It gives its name to the Clare Valley wine and tourist region.-History:One of the first settlers in the area was John Horrocks, in 1839...
and Auburn
Auburn, South Australia
Auburn is the name of a small town in the southern edge of the Clare Valley, in the Mid North of South Australia.-History:Often considered the Gateway to the Clare Valley, Auburn was originally settled by William Tateham, who lived in a dugout along the Wakefield River and was first named...
, as well as other areas outside the valley.
European settlement
The first European to reportedly explore the region was William John Hill, who arrived in South Australia on the HMS BuffaloHMS Buffalo (1813)
HMS Buffalo was a storeship of the Royal Navy, originally built in India as the merchant vessel Hindostan. She later served as a convict ship and as transport for immigrants to Australia before being wrecked in 1840.-Launch and purchase:...
in 1836. He was a surveyor and explored the Clare Valley district in 1838, discovering and naming the Hutt River. The Hill River was later discovered and named in his honour. On returning to Adelaide, he reported his findings of potentially good farmland to his friend and associate, Edward John Eyre
Edward John Eyre
Edward John Eyre was an English land explorer of the Australian continent, colonial administrator, and a controversial Governor of Jamaica....
. Eyre in turn informed John Horrocks
John Ainsworth Horrocks
John Ainsworth Horrocks was one of the first settlers in the Clare Valley in 1839. He established the town of Penwortham in South Australia. Horrocks is unfortunately known more for his death, when he was accidentally shot in a hunting accident...
, who had only arrived in the new colony in March 1839. Eyre later explored the Clare Valley on the return journey from his second 1839
Eyre's 1839 expeditions
Edward John Eyre's two expeditions of 1839 to the interior of South Australia were his first expeditions as an explorer, if one discounts the two earlier trips he made down the Murray River to Adelaide, herding cattle and then sheep.-North:...
expedition to the northern regions of South Australia. Horrocks set out with his servant, John Green and established himself in the area now known as Penwortham
Penwortham, South Australia
Penwortham is a small town in the Clare Valley, South Australia, along the Main North Road, approximately 10 kilometres south of Clare and 14 kilometres north of Auburn...
. This became the first permanent settlement in the valley. By 1840, Edward Burton Gleeson
Edward Burton Gleeson
Edward Burton Gleeson , also known as “Paddy” Gleeson, was a South Australian settler, farmer and founder of the town of Clare....
had set up the Inchiquin pastoral run to the north which was later developed into the town of Clare and in 1848, Jesuits
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
were settling into the place which would become the town of Sevenhill
Sevenhill, South Australia
The town of Sevenhill is in the Clare Valley region of South Australia, approximately 130 km north of Adelaide. It was settled by the Austrian Jesuit Fathers and Brothers in 1848...
. Settlers from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, as well as more diverse places such as Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
continued to progress into the region during the 1840s, producing a rich heritage of architecture and villages, which remain largely intact. Vineyard
Vineyard
A vineyard is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice...
s were planted alongside those first villages and winemaking has continued ever since.
Modern times
On 16 February 1983, the Clare Valley was devastated by bushfires during the Ash Wednesday disaster. Although there were no fatalities in the area, over 6,100 hectares were burnt out, causing $5 million worth of damage. The railway line between the Clare Showgrounds and PenworthamPenwortham, South Australia
Penwortham is a small town in the Clare Valley, South Australia, along the Main North Road, approximately 10 kilometres south of Clare and 14 kilometres north of Auburn...
was severely damaged, and resulted in its eventual demise. The old rail route has since been transformed into a popular bicycle riding track known as the Riesling Trail
Riesling Trail
The Riesling Trail is a 35 kilometre walking and cycling track located in the Clare Valley, South Australia. It runs between Auburn and Clare, passing through several towns and villages along the way, including Leasingham, Watervale, Penwortham and Sevenhill. A recent extension now extends 8km...
. This 35km sealed trail links the villages of the valley.
Soil and climate
The wines are planted from 400 to 500 m (1,312.3 to 1,640.4 ft). The climateClimate
Climate encompasses the statistics of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, rainfall, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological elemental measurements in a given region over long periods...
is moderately continental
Continental climate
Continental climate is a climate characterized by important annual variation in temperature due to the lack of significant bodies of water nearby...
, with cool to cold nights and warm to hot summer days. The higher altitude, compared to other wine regions in South Australia, ensures cool nights even during the heat of summer allowing the fruit to ripen more evenly and slowly. Rainfall is predominantly in winter - spring (June - September) with an annual average of around 630 mm. Summers are dry and make irrigation
Irrigation
Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...
desirable but also ensure a minimum of fungal diseases. Varied soil types throughout the valleys are another feature, ranging from red to brown grey over basement rock.
Grape varieties
The most important white variety is RieslingRiesling
Riesling is a white grape variety which originated in the Rhine region of Germany. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet and sparkling white wines. Riesling wines are usually varietally...
, with the Clare Valley regarded as its Australian home.
Principal red varieties are Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Canada's Okanagan Valley to Lebanon's Beqaa Valley...
and Shiraz
Shiraz grape
Syrah or Shiraz is a dark-skinned grape grown throughout the world and used primarily to produce powerful red wines. Whether sold as Syrah or Shiraz, these wines enjoy great popularity.Syrah is used as a varietal and is also blended...
. They make a range of styles of varietal wines, reflecting different approaches to winemaking
Winemaking
Winemaking, or vinification, is the production of wine, starting with selection of the grapes or other produce and ending with bottling the finished wine. Although most wine is made from grapes, it may also be made from other fruit or non-toxic plant material...
as well as the influences of the various sub-regions and micro-climates in the valleys.
Regional facts
The region has more than 40 wineries, most of which are small and produce only bottled wine.- Area planted: 40 km²
- Annual production: 1999: - 19,694, 2000:- 12,444
See also
- Australian wineAustralian wineThe Australian Wine Industry is the fourth largest exporter of wine around the world, with 760 million litres a year to a large international export market and contributes $5.5 billion per annum to the nation's economy...
- South Australian wineSouth Australian wineThe South Australian wine industry is responsible for more than half the production of all Australian wine. The state of South Australia has a vast diversity in geography and climate which allows the state to be able to successfully produce a wide range of grape varieties-from the cool climate...
- List of wineries in the Clare Valley