Clare Valley RegionLocationZone - Mount Lofty Ranges within Adelaide Super Zone State - South Australia Map Reference Latitude 33 degrees and 50 minutes South Longitude 138 degrees and 42 minutes East Elevation 300 - 550 metres above sea level Subregions Auburn, Clare, Hill River, Polish Hill River, Sevenhill and Watervale |
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Introduction Clare Valley was established by an extraordinary Englishman; John Horrocks, when he established Hope Farm in 1840 on which he planted the first vines. Vineyards and wineries grew progressively. Sevenhill planted its first vines in 1852. By 1890 there were 100 hectares of vineyards, however expansion in the following seven years lifted the area under vines by almost 500 per cent. In 1903 the Stanley Wine Company produced 450,000 litres of wine, which was mostly exported to London, wine that was the same quantity as Penfolds. The 1980's saw major corporate investments and ownership changes. Wolf Blass and Penfolds established major vineyards on the Polish Hill River side of the valley. The annual wine and food weekend held in May, at which the public is given the opportunity of tasting the weeks-old wines from the current vintage followed by visits to wineries on the Sunday where every winery teams up with a prominent restaurant and provide a matched glass of wine with a plate of scrumptious fare. Whenever you visit the Clare Valley, you will be certain of an especially warm welcome and be seduced by its gentle beauty. Mick Knappstein expressed it magnificently when he said 'There are only two kinds of people - those who were born in Clare, and those who wish they were born in Clare'.Primary Grape Varieties White Riesling 565 ha Chardonnay 355 ha Semillon 210 ha Sauvignon Blanc 50 ha Other 75 ha Total White 1255 ha Red Shiraz 1400 ha Cabernet Sauvignon 1090 ha Merlot 245 ha Malbec 70 ha Grenache 65 ha Other 180 ha Total Red 3050 ha Primary Wine Styles Semillon Riesling Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz
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