There was a smell of eucalyptus in the air, as we drove down a backcountry wine country road towards Kilikanoon Wines. For a moment the smells and the setting reminded me of familiar roads in California. But we were not in California we were in Southern Australia's Clare Valley. It was a beautiful autumn afternoon and we were on our way to the cellar door at Kilikanoon Wines.
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| A Clare Valley Wine Country Road © Spaswinefood |
Australia's Clare Valley is known for its stunning scenery, historic townships and of course its wines. Here the climate is Mediterranean, with warm to hot summers and cool to cold winters. There is a long history of wine making in the valley, with first grapes being planted in 1851. Today there are over 40 cellar doors between Auburn and Clare, a short distance of 40 kilometers. What is so special about the Clare Valley wine region is its dry Rieslings. Shiraz is the most widely planted grape variety, followed by Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon. Other white grape varieties include Chardonnay, Semillon, and Pinot Grigio; with other significant red grape varieties including Merlot, Grenache, Mourvedre, Tempranillo and Malbec.
Kilikanoon Wines
Kevin Mitchell, winemaker and proprietor established Kilikanoon Wines in 1997. Some of the vineyards on the property date back to 1865. These days Kilikanoon vineyards are carefully managed to produce a low yield and best overall flavor. Kilikanoon is a family affair, both Kevin and his father Mort Mitchell are actively engaged. For over 40 years Mort Mitchell has tending a part of the vineyards known as the Golden Hillside Suite. This area includes the famous Mort's Block. Kilikanoon Wines was awarded James Halliday’s Winery of the Year in 2013. Kevin was named "2014 Winemaker of The Year" by Clare Valley Hall of Fame Awards.
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| Kilikanoon Wines, Clare Valley © Spaswinefood |
Our Spaswinefood group enjoyed tasting at Kilikanoon Wines cellar door (tasting room), which is located in an original stone house built in 1860.
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| Cellar Door, Kilikanoon Wines © Spaswinefood |
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| Kilikanoon Wines © Spaswinefood |
Adjacent to the tasting room there is an inviting patio area.
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| Patio at Kilikanoon Wines © Spaswinefood |
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| Kilikanoon Wines Patio © Spaswinefood |
The winery is known for producing quality Riesling, Shiraz, Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon. During our visit I tasted many wines, including a sparkling wine and of course Shiraz, Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon.
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| Tasting at Kilikanoon Wines © Spaswinefood |
Amongst my favorite Kilikanoon wines included:
1. Kilikanoon Wines, Killerman's Run, Riesling 2014
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| Kilikanoon Wines, Killerman's Run, Riesling 2014 © Spaswinefood |
2. Kilikanoon Wines, Mort's Block Riesling 2012
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Kilikanoon Wines, Mort's Block Riesling 2012 © Spaswinefood
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3. Kilikanoon Wines, Second Fiddle Grenache Rosé 2014
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| Kilikanoon Wines, Second Fiddle Grenache Rosé 2014 © Spaswinefood |
4. & 5. Prodigal Grenache 2012 & Killerman's Run GSM 2012
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| Prodigal Grenache 2012 & Killerman's Run GSM 2012 © Spaswinefood |
I liked the overall quality of all the Kilikanoon wines I tasted. Their Mort's Block Riesling 2012 was excellent. I can see why this wine has developed a loyal following. The Prodigal Grenache 2012 & Killerman's Run GSM 2012 were great, as were the Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz wines that I tasted.
For those interested in the local soils the winery has a display of soils found in the area. For further details on this project throughout the valley see Clare Valley Rocks.
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| Soil Display, Kilikanoon Wines © Spaswinefood |
Of course no wine tasting day is totally complete without meeting some canine friends, such as this cutie. Who just happened to visit while we were there.
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| Border Collie Puppy, Kilikanoon Wines © Spaswinefood |
Kilikanoon wines are available in the US from Old Bridge Cellars.
Clare Valley Wine Region
Visitors to the Clare Valley will find charming towns to explore. Wine has had a long history in Clare Valley towns. A recent article by Saveur describes Australia as the wine destination of the year. In that article he referenced a trip to the Clare Valley. For Spaswinefood Australia in 2015 was indeed the wine destination of the year. I certainly would include Clare Valley Wine Region as an important part of the amazing happenings in the Australian wine world.
Time in the valley will not only give you a sense of its long wine history but the exciting new developments in wine that are happening.
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| Clare, Clare Valley © Spaswinefood |
Clare Valley is just an hours drive from the Barossa Valley and 90 minutes drive from Adelaide. Our visit to Clare Valley not only took us by autumn vineyards but led to beautiful drives down country roads.
Kilikanoon Wines is indeed a great place to taste Clare Valley wines. I invite you to join me in my travel experiences in South Australia and elsewhere in Australia at Spaswinefood.
Sharon
April 2015
Clare Valley, Australia
© Spaswinefood
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| Kilikanoon Wines © Spaswinefood |
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