It was an autumn afternoon when we arrived at Clare Valley's Skillogalee Wines. We had heard about Skillogalee's amazing Riesling wine and so we just had to taste. During Spaswinefood's travels through Australia's Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula and Barossa Valley there was high praise for Clare Valley Riesling. By the time we arrived in the Clare Valley we were excited to explore this special wine region. Given that the Clare Valley wine region is well known for its Riesling how could we not followup with a visit to Skillogalee.
Skillogalee Wines
 |
| Arriving at Skillogalee Wines © Spaswinefood |
Our last Clare Valley wine tasting for the day was at Skillogalee Wines. Skillogalee Winery and Restaurant has been described as a Clare Valley dining icon. It is Clare Valley’s first and longest running winery restaurant. I so love dining at winery restaurants but unfortunately we did not dine there during our visit. Skillogalee Wines and restaurant is located in a 160 year old cottage.
For those needing plans for lunch or afternoon tea this would be the place to dine.
Skillogalee is a relaxing place for sure. In fact our wine tasting was around the kitchen table in the back of the cottage. For my friend Karla and I it was a special treat to do this tasting around a kitchen table.
While we came to taste their Riesling wines we did sample a few others as well. The following are the wines that I tasted:
1. Skillogalee Wines, Sparkling Riesling 2010
2. Skillogalee Wines, Single Contour Riesling 2012
3. Skillogalee Wines, Gewurztraminer 2014
4. Skillogalee Wines, Late Harvest Riesling 2014
5. Skillogalee Wines, Rosé 2014
We certainly enjoyed tasting Skillogalee wines. Lonely Planet described Skillogalee Riesling as "like kissing a pretty girl on a summer afternoon". When you read a description like that you have to taste the wines. This might even prompt you to check out the distributors for their wines.
Then of course who would not want to linger at Skillogalee over a glass of wine. There are few tables just back of the cottage. I need to return obviously. In fact it is the perfect place for a getaway.
Skillogalee also offers accommodations for those looking for a Clare Valley wine country getaway. It would also be a good base for wine country explorations.
 |
| Cottage at Skillogalee Wines © Spaswinefood |
 |
| Vineyard Lunches, Skillogalee Wines © Spaswinefood |
 |
| Tasting Skillogalee Wines at the Kitchen Table © Spaswinefood |
1. Skillogalee Wines, Sparkling Riesling 2010
 |
| Skillogalee Wines, Sparkling Riesling 2010 © Spaswinefood |
 |
| Skillogalee Wines, Single Contour Riesling 2012 © Spaswinefood |
 |
| Skillogalee Wines, Gewurztraminer 2014 © Spaswinefood |
 |
| Skillogalee Wines, Late Harvest Riesling 2014 © Spaswinefood |
 |
| Skillogalee Wines, Rosé 2014 © Spaswinefood |
Then of course who would not want to linger at Skillogalee over a glass of wine. There are few tables just back of the cottage. I need to return obviously. In fact it is the perfect place for a getaway.
 |
| Relaxing with Skillogalee Wines © Spaswinefood |
 |
| Skillogalee Wines © Spaswinefood |
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 it is indeed that. I certainly would include Clare Valley as an important part of the amazing happenings in the Australian wine world.
On our way out of Skillogalee I paused to view the autumn vineyard, Which is part of their 150 acre property. Clare Valley is just an hour drive from the Barossa Valley and 90 minutes drive from Adelaide. Skillogalee is located 135 km from Adelaide. Our Clare Valley visit not only took us to beautiful autumn vineyards like Skillogalee but also on relaxing drives down country roads.
Clare Valley's stunning scenery, historic townships and of course its wines are exciting to explore. There are now over 40 cellar doors between Auburn and Clare, a distance of 40 kilometers. It is a place where certain grapes thrive. The climate is Mediterranean, with warm to hot summers and cool to cold winters. The first grapes were planted in the valley in 1851. What is so special about the Clare Valley wine region is its dry Riesling. While Shiraz is the most widely planted grape variety in the area it is 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. Time in the valley will not only give you a sense of its long wine history but the exciting new developments that are happening.
So wish we had time to have dined at Skillogalee's Restaurant for it has been described as Clare Valley dining icon. Tasting Skillogalee Wines was a relaxing introduction to Clare Valley wines. I invite you to join me in my travel experiences in South Australia and elsewhere in Australia at Spaswinefood.
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 it is indeed that. I certainly would include Clare Valley as an important part of the amazing happenings in the Australian wine world.
On our way out of Skillogalee I paused to view the autumn vineyard, Which is part of their 150 acre property. Clare Valley is just an hour drive from the Barossa Valley and 90 minutes drive from Adelaide. Skillogalee is located 135 km from Adelaide. Our Clare Valley visit not only took us to beautiful autumn vineyards like Skillogalee but also on relaxing drives down country roads.
 |
| Skillogalee Wines Vineyard © Spaswinefood |
So wish we had time to have dined at Skillogalee's Restaurant for it has been described as Clare Valley dining icon. Tasting Skillogalee Wines was a relaxing introduction to 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
Follow me on Twitter and Facebook
No comments:
Post a Comment