The Hot Spot for 2025
It pays to get ahead of the trends. Visit a place before it becomes the next Santorini. Not easy in today’s hyper connected world. When a photo shared on social media could result in a swarm of influencers immediately removing any of the beauty that was apparent to earlier visitors.
Having recently read an article in Conde Nast Traveller Magazine about the hottest spot for food and drink in 2025, I was relieved that we already had a trip booked. A trip that would allow us to enjoy the place before the hordes descended. It turns out we needn’t have worried.
Perth – A Long Way from Anywhere
Living in Perth comes with a large downside. It is a long way from anywhere else in Australia. This trip fell into our “short flight” category, with Adelaide being only 2 hours 50 minutes away. Flying early in the morning somewhat compensated for the time zone change. With clocks going forward two and a half hours upon landing.
Yes, you read that right. There is an erroneous half hour in there. Apparently harking back to 1899, and a time when local businesses wanted to be closer to Melbourne and cricketers wanted more daylight to play extra overs. The move was made away from the traditional one hour difference between adjacent time zones. Why they still have it is another question.
Clare Valley Wine Region
This was our first visit to Clare Valley, and having visited both Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale wine regions, also in Adelaide, we were excited to try out some new cellar doors. Also, we had heard that the region is very proud of their Riesling. Travelling with hand luggage only, we already knew it would be a difficult decision which bottles to pack and bring home with us. If you are reading this, and work at Qantas, we promise we remained under the 10kg hand luggage limits. Pinky promise.
Mount Horrocks was the first vineyard we visited. After one and half hours in the car, north from Adelaide (130kms), we were glad to stretch the legs and try a cold drink. Mount Horrocks is located in a village called Auburn, in the south of Clare Valley. Certified 100% organic and biodynamic, we joined just one other couple in the blissfully air conditioned cellar door and got to work.
Winemaker, Stephanie Toole, has an award hanging in the cellar door, for her services to wine making in the region. And this is richly deserved, based on the wines that we got to try. Riesling being the wine that now defines Clare Valley, the 2024 Watervale Riesling was exquisite. What I hadn’t realised before this trip was the cellaring potential of Riesling. For instance, this wine could potentially be laid down for up to 15 years.If only I had that kind of patience.
Wine Influencers and the Power of Social Media
One surprise that I walked away with was a bottle of Nero D’Avola. What I didn’t know was that this sumptuous Sicilian red wine from Mount Horrocks already has a cult following. The lady in the cellar door telling us a funny story. Of how she suddenly started getting lots of young people rocking up, phones in hand, pointing to someone called Tom Gilbey, saying “we only want to try the wine he is having”.
As with the lady working at Mount Horrocks, I am not on the app called Tik Tok either, but apparently Mr Gilbey has been creating quite the storm, recommending the Nero D’Avola to his 200+ thousand followers. As I mentioned earlier, the power of social media is shrinking the world.
Before we headed to our home for the weekend, “Stables by the Vines”, a converted stable in a small village called Mintaro, we called in at Claymore Wines. Part of me wished we hadn’t. I was greeted by Liverpool FC memorabilia and a wine called “YNWA”. I bit my tongue and reluctantly agreed that the whole range of wines, both white and red (including the obscenely named one) was very quaffable. So quaffable that Mrs C ordered a box of 6 to be shipped back West. I did wonder if it was the wine, or the football affiliation that convinced her to get her credit card out.
Sleepy Mintaro
Mintaro was a short drive away and if we thought that Clare Valley had been quiet, it was to get even quieter. Mintaro has a pub, a post office, a lawn bowls club, one small cellar door with a restaurant that was closed for a month, and nothing else. Literally. Perhaps one of the quietest spots we have ever stayed in. And it was so peaceful. For dinner we strolled the two minutes across to the pub, the Magpie and Stump, which is apparently famous in the region. I suppose when you are the only pub for miles, there is a lot to be famous for.
A typical country pub, with locals perched in their usual seats at the bar, and a food menu that is “classic” heavy. I had food envy when I saw Victoria’s chicken schnitty. My pork ribs were good, whilst not excellent. One thing that strikes me when we leave Western Australia is the shortage of craft beers. Adelaide is rightly proud of its Coopers beer, and it complemented my dinner well, and I would have loved a wider range to choose from.
The Riesling Trail
Covering a distance of 33kms, from Riverton in the north and Auburn in the south, the Riesling Trail was formerly part of a railway line that ran all the way from Adelaide to Spalding. Opened in 1994 as the Riesling Trail, it is now firmly part of the fibre of Clare Valley and is a massive draw for tourists.
We collected our ebikes from Riesling Trail Bike Hire, and had a great conversation with Kent, the owner since opening his doors 15 years ago. A very down to earth, convivial, and friendly man, Kent advised on what he thought our best options were on a day when the mercury was forecast to hit the high 30s.
Paulette Winery and those ants
Our first stop was pre-planned as we had a wine tasting flight booked at Paulette Wines in Polish Hill River. Setting off on our bikes, and getting used to the gears and the battery assistance, we made light work of the hill up to the winery. Chrissy in the cellar door was very friendly, giving us the kind of service that we soon realised was indicative of everyone in Clare Valley. Maybe it is all the Riesling, maybe it is something in the water, but the people of Clare Valley were so friendly, fun, and welcoming.
And this is what we came for. Not only a visual work of art, but some great wines and delicious paired food. I opted for the “Riesling Flight” and Victoria had the “Premium Flight”, despite one of the dishes (the second from the left) being adorned by green ants. Yes. Green ants. Chrissy told us that they add a pop and a hit of citrus to the dish. I am not sure it was the pop, or the citrus that caused the look on Victoria’s face as she ate them.
Back on the Riesling Trail
Heading further south on the Riesling Trail we crossed the highway and joined the John Horrocks loop, having great tastings at both Kilikanoon and Skillogalee (Skilly). Both are easier to pronounce at the start of a day wine tasting, than at the end. Over the hill from Skilly, and down into the valley we called at Clare Valley Brewing Company, having an excellent hazy pale ale and splitting a tasty fish and chips.
Trundling slowly back on the trail, we took time to reflect on a really enjoyable day. A safe way to explore the Clare Valley, whilst being out and appreciating the native fauna and flora. We were glad of the battery assistance on the way home, our legs, and the heat starting to tire us out. Kent at Riesling Trail Bike Hire was very happy to see us return a little early as he had plans to “smash a large gin and tonic”.
Relaxing in Mintaro
Our plans were relaxing back at the cottage in Mintaro. Cracking open a chilled bottle of local Watervale Riesling and sitting with views of the vines and rolling hills. It is amazing when you realise what that noise is. Silence. No cars passing by. No voices nearby. Just the sound of birdsong. We marvelled as Crimson Rosellas came to visit with the Flaming Galahs in the garden whilst a solitary Kookaburra stood guard, high up in the nearby gum tree.
Sat there, sipping my Riesling, something kept flashing across my peripheral vision. There, again. And suddenly I noticed that there were bunny rabbits everywhere. Literally. Their fluffy white tails on display when any noise startled them.
Chatting to a local we discovered that they have been an issue for a long time in Mintaro. With the long running drought affecting the area, the rabbits, like all the animals, are desperate for water. This results in them chewing through reticulation pipes, and digging up new plants. One drastic course of action the locals have taken is leaving out “spicy carrots” for the rabbits. Needless to say, one spicy carrot results in one less rabbit in Mintaro.
Whilst there were many rabbits, one thing that struck us for the whole three days we were in Clare Valley was just how few tourists there were. Before a really good lunch and paddle of craft beer at Pikes Beer Company, we visited Pikes Wines next door and were the only people in the cellar door. Just prior we had a very enjoyable tasting at Hill River Wines, and, other than a large hare, and a duck, again were the only visitors that had been that day. Parking up the car for the day, our final tasting was at Reilly’s in Mintaro. At 4pm the young man working in the cellar door was cleaning up. Before us, he had only had one visitor all day. Where was everyone?
Conde Nast and THAT article
Whilst in Pikes Wines I had a chat with the gentleman working there, about what he thought the impact would be of a global travel magazine, the size of Conde Nast, announcing Clare Valley as the number one food and drink destination in the world. It wasn’t the response I expected.
He had not even heard of the magazine, or the article. Neither had his colleague. Blank looks all around. I think this is a travesty. That the Clare Valley region, and the people working there are not all over this massive, positive piece of global press, and doing all they can to make the most of the opportunity.
And what an opportunity. This is a beautiful part of the world. Only a short drive from Adelaide, and an international airport. World class wines, and it is not all about Riesling. We sampled some excellent Pinot Gris, Cabernet Franc, Semillon, and not forgetting the unforgettable Nero D’Avola that Tom Gilbey is so fond of. The wines were so good we shipped three boxes home and packed two each in our hand luggage, and carried one on to the plane. Twenty three bottles to add to our burgeoning collection at home.
Visit Before you Can’t
My recommendation to you is to visit before everyone in the region, and across the world, finally gets around to reading that article. And before any more wine influencers post content from one of the local cellar doors. I predict that in a very short space of time, Clare Valley will be like many other wine regions in Australia. The top tourist draw of the state, and you will need Willy Wonkas Golden Ticket just to get a reservation.
The what and the how
- We flew Perth to Adelaide with Qantas.
- Car hire was from Enterprise at Adelaide Airport.
- Bike hire was from Riesling Trail Bike Hire.
- Clare Valley is 130kms north of Adelaide city centre.
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