The Clare Valley is the most northerly of the wine regions of the Mount Lofty Ranges, located some 80 miles north of Adelaide on the far side of the Barossa. The region is a bit of an anomaly in that despite being further inland and north from the other major regions in the area, the Clare has shown a great proclivity for the production of great, dry, age-worthy Rieslings.

This is explained in part to vineyards being planted at significantly higher elevations than the Barossa (averaging 1,500 feet) and in part to the relatively constant winds that sweep through the hills. These factors combined, stress the vines and create a longer growing season and greater diurnal range than in the Barossa.

The region is home to a number of smaller, iconic, quality-conscious producers that in addition to Riesling produce intensely concentrated Shiraz and Cabernet, often from old vine plantings, which have perhaps a noticeably firmer structure than the big reds from the valley floor. Jim Barry, Grosset, Pikes, Wendouree, and Tim McNeil are among major producers of what have become cult classics. (Wine/Appellations)