CLARE VALLEY
SUMMARY JENI PORT REVIEWS JENI PORT AND LISA CARDELLI
Wine is in a constant state of change. This is especially true in a wine region like the Clare Valley with more than 150 years of winemaking already on the board. The groundwork for the next 150 years is already being laid in the planting of ‘alternative’ grape varieties, moves to organic certification, sustainable production, and changes in winemaking styles to reflect a younger and more adventurous consumer, as well as going head to head with the biggest question mark of all: dealing with a shifting climate. Fortunately, we don’t have to wait long to see and taste most of those changes. Many are already there, in the glass. The emergence of alternative varieties such as nero d’Avola, grüner veltliner, fiano, tempranillo, sangiovese, primitivo and a host of other grapes now going into the ground is undoubtedly one of the more exciting aspects of discovering the wines of the Clare Valley. They bring an added dimension to the great triumvirate of riesling, shiraz and cabernet sauvignon, which remain the foundation of everything that is Clare Valley wine. The star of this year’s tasting was undoubtedly Riesling. Producers were blessed with a rare trio of outstanding vintages in 2021, 2022 and 2023. Principal Riesling sub- regions of Watervale and Polish Hill River delivered their usual highly individual takes on the grape, combining a mix of beauty and elegance (Watervale) and concentrated power (Polish Hill River) across what were three fabulous vintages. Might one or all of those years live up to the fabled 2002 or 2017 Clare Riesling vintages? Time will tell, but the 2021, with a classic mix of lifted aromatics and lime essence, has that special X-factor quality to give it a shot. As for the 2024 vintage, the early bird wines now released show promise but generally not the same intensity. ‘The 2024 Riesling we brought in all came in at lower baumes than previous vintages [’22 and ’23] largely as we saw bright fruit and appealing natural acids’, says Carissa Major, general manager of Claymore Wines. ‘Let the vineyard tell you when to pick.’
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The Vintage Journal – Regional Focus
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