Merry Moose Retreat Penwortham review | SA’s Great Travel Planner

It was a quirky little cottage – quite literally decked out with a moose’s head hanging on the wall of the main kitchen and living space.

In the depths of the cold South Aussie winter, what better place to unwind than in front of a roaring fire, with a bottle of red?

And so we booked two midweek nights at the fabulous Merry Moose – a cosy retreat located in Penwortham, just south of Clare.

We were treated to gorgeous views over an adjacent vineyard, a fireplace (with wood and kindling ready to use), a bottle of wine on arrival and, of course, Netflix – all just a short drive from some of the Clare Valley’s best wineries.

It was a quirky little cottage – quite literally decked out with a moose’s head hanging on the wall of the main kitchen and living space, with a fridge stocked with bacon, eggs and juice for breakfast.

We had never previously spent much time exploring Clare – aside from the local racecourse for the renowned Easter races – and we arrived without any real itinerary.

The first night we dined out at Umbria – a rustic Italian restaurant right in the heart of Clare. The food and atmosphere were excellent. After settling in to a movie that night, and gorging on a hefty cheese and meat platter, we were up early the next morning to tackle some of the best wineries the region had to offer.

Inside the Merry Moose. So cosy.

A view across the vineyards from the Merry Moose.

The first stop was Sevenhill Cellars. As the first winery established in the Valley, you could immediately sense its long history when arriving there due to the old, stone buildings and earthy feel.

After completing a tasting, we took a self-guided tour – using the pamphlet provided to lead us – around some of Sevenhill’s wine and spiritual sites, including the vineyards, St Ignatius of Loyola Shrine and St Aloysius’ Church. We even checked out the crypt, but I wasn’t keen on staying down there long.

For lunch, we ventured to Mr Mick’s cellar door where we had another tasting, before diving into the tapas-style restaurant menu – where we paid a flat fee and chose a number of dishes to try. Lemon myrtle squid, slow-cooked Korean beef, spicy braised lamb shank pie – it’s fair to say we got our money’s worth.

Our last stop was O’Leary Walker Wines with the best views of all – atop a hill peering out over vineyards at almost every angle. If you love a quality riesling or chardonnay, this is the place to be.

Our final day in the Valley was largely spent cycling the iconic Riesling Trail. If you holiday in Clare, it’s almost mandatory you hire a bike and go for a spin.

We dropped into Riesling Trail Bike Hire where we met the friendly owner, Kent, who decked us out with an electric bike each – which cost only $50 each for a half-day. After a short chat about the dos and don’ts of cycling the trail, we were off.

I’d highly recommend using an eBike. Being motorised, it makes the ride that much easier and more leisurely, as opposed to sweating it out. We’re holidaying after all, not preparing for the Tour Down Under.

Riding the trail was so much fun, and we trekked all the way from Clare to Pikes Wines in Sevenhill (about 7km) – our last stop before heading home.

After enjoying another tasting – and grabbing a bottle of Pikes’ delicious grenache – we also tried a paddle of craft beers brewed onsite.

We returned the bikes and just like that, our Clare adventure had concluded. While it was only two days away, it was enough for us to unwind. We’ll definitely be back.

Reviews are unannounced and paid for by SAWeekend.

This review was first published in August 2020 and had details updated in March 2021

• Horrocks Highway, Penwortham
• merrymoose.com.au

• LOCATION Penwortham is a few kilometres south of Clare, less than two hours north of Adelaide’s CBD.
• ACCOMMODATION Two-bedroom, open planned architecturally designed retreat, with all the modern creature comforts.
• FACILITIES Each bedroom offers a kingsize bed, ensuite with hairdryer, walk-in robes, television, Netflix and airconditioning. There’s also a cosy fireplace, stereo system, a fully equipped kitchen with a Nespresso coffee machine, washing machine, clothes dryer, iron and ironing board, board games and free Wi-Fi.
• PRICE $250 a night for two guests on Fri-Sun or $200 a night on Tue-Thur. Additional adults are $50 a night, each. Minimum two-night stay. Provisions for breakfast are included in the price.