One Of Australia's Oldest Wine Regions Offers Affordable Homes, Scenic Trails, And World-Class Riesling

Commonly referred to as the Tuscany of Australia, Clare Valley is one of the country's most famous wine regions, just 1.5 hours away from Adelaide, the state's capital. Known for its Riesling above all else, the valley's rolling landscape is perfect for casual bicycling and day-hiking, with trails that link up historic towns with wineries, vineyards, and cellar door tastings. The area is an upcoming popular spot for families and retirees to live due to its affordable housing, with a median house price of around $495,000 AUD, or about $325,000 USD. Meanwhile, in the state's capital, the median home value is roughly double that price at about $862,000 AUD. Plus, you can visit some of the best beaches in all of Australia, according to visitors, including Kangaroo Island located 130 miles away from Adelaide. It's one of the 10 southern hemisphere islands to visit right now to chase an endless summer.

To reach wine country, the nearest major airport is Adelaide Airport, South Australia's main regional hub, with international flights and connections across Australia. Starting in December of 2025, United Airlines will have direct flights from San Francisco to Adelaide, the first ever direct route between South Australia and the U.S. From Adelaide, the valley is best reached by a rental car, with the 88 mile drive taking about 1.5 hours. Once you are in town, the area is easily explored on bike, or if you feel more adventurous there is also a long-haul walking trail to explore the area and its fine wines.

For nearly 200 years, the Clare Valley has been in the winemaking business and is known the world over for its Rieslings. The Mediterranean-style climate also produces Shiraz and Cabernet. Across the valley, there are more than 35 cellar doors, from modern spaces to Jesuit-owned wineries like the Sevenhill Cellars that have been in operation since the 1800s. While most visitors choose to have a leisurely bike ride, you can also walk the Clare Valley Wine and Wilderness Trail. Either self-guided or with a tour guide, the trail winds through the region for over 60 miles, circling past breweries, distilleries, wineries, and towns.

The entire trail is broken up into 6 segments, each taking about a day to finish, from 8-mile to 12-mile sections. After your walk, there are a range of accommodations in the valley, from free camping spots like at the Burra Creek Gorge to farmstays, and high-end luxury resorts like the Clare Country Club for $200 a night for two people. For more sips and treks, head east to the South Gippsland region of Victoria, near Melbourne, to visit an artsy Australian town's rolling farmland that mixes beachy bliss with countryside calm and coastal trails.

To be your own winemaker, visit the 19th-century cellar door at Knappstein Wines. Located in a National Trust building in Clare, they hold a 45-minute winemaking class to learn how to blend red wine. After a welcome drink, and a short introduction into the winemaking process, you'll be under the guidance of a vintner to make your own glass. The class is followed by a tasting of their most popular wines. It's offered on Wednesdays and Saturdays and costs about $46 USD.

The best way to explore Clare Valley's picturesque countryside, take a leisurely bike ride on the Riesling Trail. The 20.5 mile gravel trail follows an old railway line from the 1860s, starting from Clare and ending in Auburn. There's a few bike rental shops in Clare that rent out a range of bikes. Typical rates start from about $17 USD for a standard mountain bike for a half-day or $23 USD for a full day from Clare Valley Cycle Hire. This shop and others also offer children's bikes, tandem bikes, and tag-along bike attachments to transport your little ones. Or, rent an e-bike, which usually starts at approximately $46 USD and up for a full-day use.

Starting in Clare Town Center and heading south, you'll pass Riesling Trail–themed murals and art, some on the main Ness Street as you are heading out of town. Located 4 miles out of town on bike, head to one of Australia's oldest wineries. Established in 1851 by a Jesuit priest to make sacramental wine, the Sevenhill Cellars is the last remaining Jesuit-owned winery in Australia today. There's even an on-site Gothic-style church that still holds mass. The old-stone winery offers a cellar door, the Australian term for a tasting room, to enjoy a flight of five wines and a tasting platter of local cheeses, olives, and other small snacks.

Continuing south, the trail heads toward Penwortham and Watervale. Over the course of the trail, there are 11 types of different mineral-rich soil that gives the Rieslings its distinct flavors. In Watervale, Crabtree Watervale Wines dates back to the late 1800's as an apple and fruit orchard. Today, their limited-edition wines, such as the RC Riesling, are only made in small batches and only under ideal conditions during certain years to produce the best quality. The final leg of the journey leads to Auburn's Mount Horrocks organic winery, known for its award winning wines, that's housed in a restored railway station.