I found the best of the Clare Valley, from walk to wine to dine
The best way to explore the Clare Valley is with mud on your shoes and a glass in your hand.
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We’re mid-tasting at Jeanneret, a vineyard in South Australia’s Clare Valley, when a lamb appears out of nowhere. A moment later, a man appears, rain jacket in hand. “Oh, that’s Milo, our CFO,” jokes owner Ben Jeanneret, who pauses to say hello before pursuing the animal down the garden pah.
It’s a chilly winter morning and we’re exploring one of the six sections of the Clare Valley Wine & Wilderness Trail. The 100km path was built with the cooperation of local landowners, who permit visitors to climb wooden stiles and walk through their paddocks, ensuring we visit the valley’s best food and wine offerings and its loveliest natural features. The final stage opened in 2024. The project perfectly summarises local hospitality: down to earth with warm welcomes at every turn.
Our guide, Bianca Grigg, co-runs Clare Valley Walk and has been involved since the trail’s inception. Her passion for the project is clear as she sets a comfortable pace and leads us into the bush, winding our way through the fragrant eucalypts. Today’s route is about 6km over five leisurely hours, including tea and treats as we enjoy the panorama from Bianca’s own horse paddock and a chance to taste the region’s famous riesling at Jeanneret.
Riesling is a very site-specific variety, and as we sit in front of the winery’s crackling fire, we’re taken on a tasting journey from one end of the valley to the other. To the north, the soil has a lot of slate, which makes the flavour more citrusy; to the south, it contains limestone, which makes it much more floral.
“Our goal is to make a delicious wine,” says winemaker Ben Dickinson. “Some people focus on the process, but for me it has to be about taste. We don’t want our wine to be sterile or antiseptic.”
When our glasses are empty, Bianca leads us back to the trail and down to our final stop, Skillogalee Estate, where we enjoy a gourmet two-course lunch with another selection of crisp Clare whites. The heated veranda of the 1850s stone settler’s cottage is the perfect spot to refuel after the walk and I can’t go past the hearty 12-hour lamb shoulder and a dark chocolate delice.
The package includes return transfers from your accommodation, so after lunch, I wave goodbye as Bianca drops me off at one of the three off-grid tiny houses at Cabn Clare Valley. It’s set on a small patch of land tucked away in a working vineyard, and at this time of year, it’s a deeply serene place to be. Today is a bit too damp to make use of the outdoor firepit, but there’s a wood heater inside, so after doffing my muddy boots at the door, I light it and start warming my fingers.
The small space heats up in no time and I climb onto the plush queen-sized bed, intending to read. Instead, I find myself gazing out the huge windows, watching heavy purple clouds drifting through the lush green valley. I catch myself drifting off as the first raindrops patter softly onto the roof.
Tempting as it is to stay, I have another important engagement: a tour at Penobscot Farm with a six-course dégustation dinner at the award-winning Watervale Hotel. This experience is the brainchild of husband-and-wife duo, sommelier Warrick Duthy and chef Nicola Palmer, who have transformed the classic South Australian pub meal into something special.
Warrick and Nicola live at the farm, which uses organic, biodynamic principles to ensure every dish at the restaurant is made from the freshest seasonal produce. “You’ve got to have a farm-led kitchen, not a kitchen-led farm,” says Warrick, as we tour the neatly planted rows.
They pride themselves on minimising waste, which means imagination is key at every stage of the process, from the syrups and vinegars they make to the surprising and delicious combinations served at the Chef’s Table.
There’s kingfish sashimi drizzled in nectarine syrup, garden tart made with every usable part of the broccoli plant, and homemade haloumi with poached apricot. Mains are seared duck with mulberry and wagyu beef with beetroot purée; dessert is artichoke soufflé with vanilla ice-cream.
“We’re a pub, we have steak and chicken, those dishes are pretty consistent,” says Nicola. “But I like finding creative ways to use ingredients – we want to make the most of everything we grow seasonally.”
The rain has set in by the time we finish chatting and say goodnight. As I dash to the car and make my way back The writer travelled as a guest of the South Australian Tourism Commission.to the cabin, my shoes are muddy, my belly is full, and my heart is thoroughly warmed.
How to get to the Clare Valley, South Australia
Clare Valley is two hours north of Adelaide, so hire a car at the airport and enjoy the drive. Stay at Cabn from $580 for two nights (twin share).
How much does the Clare Valley Walk tour cost?
Guided day trips with Clare Valley Walk are from $125 per person.
How much does the Penobscot Farm tour and Watervale Hotel degustation cost?
The Penobscot Farm tour and Watervale Hotel degustation is from $225 per head.
The writer travelled as a guest of the South Australian Tourism Commission.
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