Clare Valley Grapes

Grapes in Clare Valley

Clare Valley is one South Australia’s vineyard destinations . It is 120 km north of Adelaide. Its wineries have established the region’s passion in growing grapes hence creating viniculture and wineries as main Clare Valley attraction.

Clare Valley is the most appropriate spot for cultivating grapes because of its moderate climate and unique location. The climate is characterized by hot summers and cold winters. Its soil consists of the nutrients needed by the fruit. Furthermore, its hills and valleys ranging from 300 to 1000 meters are advantageous to the vineyards.There are four popular variants of the fruit grown in Clare Valley namely the Riesling, Chardonnay, Semillon and Shiraz.

Chardonnay is a green grape that yields white wine. It’s the kind of grape that is very versatile for the flavor of its fruit is very much reliant on how it is grown. In addition, the personal taste of its wine defines how it is made- if it’s thru oak or malolactic fermentation. When it comes to food and wine pairing, Chardonnay is excellent with white meat, smoked fish and hot Asian delicacies. Its origin can be tracked from France and it was then launched to Australia in 1832 by James Busby.

The widely grown variant of grape in the world happens to Shiraz. Shiraz’s beginning is in Persia, which then introduced and widely grown in France. It was brought to South Australia in 1839 by a Scotsman recognized as the Father of Australian wine industry named James Buby. The variety has a thick dark skin having a deep blackish purple color. It is responsible for producing dry red table wines. It mostly survives in warmer places for it involves heat to ripen .The wine of this grape is alcoholic, aromatic, and could be perceived as spicy rather than fruity. It is known to be blended with other wines such as a bit of Viognier, equal blending of Chardonnay, and a minor blending of Grenache and Mourvèdre. Shiraz wine is a perfect fit for red meats such as roasted venison, beef, wild boar , rack of lamb and ham. It’s also best with rice, pasta dish, cheese and dry-heated root vegetables.

Another variation of grape that produces white wine is Riesling.It is defined by its white and red skin. It is the type of grape which is best when harvested late popularly termed as “noble rot”. It produces three flavors of wines -the sweet, semi sweet and dry wine. The three tastes are characterized by its harvesting stage. As documented, its history can be tracked from Germany and spread throughout the areas of Europe, Asia, North America and Australia. It is presented in Australia by John Ainsworth Horrocks in 1840. At present, Clare Valley Riesling has turned to be the best Riesling wine producer in the world.

There is also a grape type called Semillon, a kind of grape that has golden skin producing white wines. Its origin could not be traced but it’s widespread France and Australia. It started out in Australia in 1800. The variety is strong and easy to grow. While Riesling and Chardonnay are highly acidic, Semillon happens to be the opposite. Just like Shiraz, Semillon wine is often mixed up with other wines such as sweet flavors of Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. This is ideal for seafoods, chicken, turkey, vegetable lasagna , seafoods and cheese.

The mentioned varieties are just few of the grapes that are cultivated in the region.There are also other varieties such cabernet franc, grenache, merlot, and pinot noir but they are not widely grown in the place. There are a total of fifty-one vineyards found in Clare Valley. The vineyards cover 11,000 acres of the ranges. These vineyards favored their Clare Valley accommodation thus getting winery as the heart of Clare Valley attraction.

Clinton Bernat writes articles about Clare Valley Wineries. Currently, he also writes for Book Accommodation Online network.

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