Clare Valley & Coonawarra
Beyond the big-name regions, two of Australia's finest wine districts reward those who venture further. The Clare Valley, two hours north of Adelaide, is the nation's Riesling heartland; Coonawarra, down towards the Victorian border, is its benchmark for Cabernet Sauvignon. Both are relaxed, scenic and refreshingly uncrowded. Here's how to enjoy them.
Australia's Riesling heartland
Cool nights and rolling hills make the Clare Valley the home of Australia's greatest Riesling — taut, mineral and long-lived — along with excellent Shiraz. The joy here is the Riesling Trail, a 35 km path along an old railway that links cellar doors, cafés and villages, ideal by bike. Don't miss historic Sevenhill, South Australia's oldest winery, founded by Jesuits in 1851. It's a two-hour drive north of Adelaide. See our Clare Valley guide.
Cabernet on terra rossa
Far to the south-east, Coonawarra owes its fame to a narrow strip of terra rossa — vivid red soil over limestone — that yields Australia's benchmark Cabernet Sauvignon: structured, elegant and age-worthy. The region is small, flat and cellar-door-dense, easy to explore by bike or car in a day. It sits within the Limestone Coast, near Mount Gambier and its famous Blue Lake, making it a natural stop between Adelaide and Melbourne. See our Coonawarra guide.
Highlights beyond the cellar doors
Both regions offer more than wine tasting. Plan time for historic towns, cycling and the wider Limestone Coast.
Clare Valley Riesling Trail
A former railway corridor linking Auburn, Sevenhill and Clare. Choose a shorter cycling section, check bike-hire arrangements and plan a safe return journey.
Clare Valley villages
Explore Auburn, Sevenhill and Clare for local food, heritage streetscapes and relaxed cellar-door stops.
Coonawarra's terra rossa
Learn why the region's red soils over limestone are associated with Cabernet Sauvignon, and allow time to visit cellar doors around Penola.
Limestone Coast side trips
Consider Naracoorte Caves and Mount Gambier's Blue Lake as part of a longer Limestone Coast itinerary, allowing for separate driving days.
Planning the journey from Adelaide
Clare Valley: approximately 140–150 km north of central Adelaide, usually around two hours by car depending on the route and stops. It suits a full day, but an overnight stay makes cycling and cellar-door visits easier.
Coonawarra: approximately 370–390 km south-east of Adelaide, often around four hours or longer by car. It is better treated as an overnight or multi-day Limestone Coast trip rather than a relaxed Adelaide day trip.
Combining both regions: they are not adjacent. Build in travel days and consider a loop via Adelaide or a longer South Australian road trip rather than attempting both in a single day.
Safe wine touring: nominate a designated driver or arrange a suitable guided transfer. Check cellar-door opening hours, tasting bookings, accessibility and local transport availability directly before travelling.
Seasonal advice: summer can be hot for cycling, while winter can be cool and wet. Check local weather, road conditions and venue opening times before departure.
How to include them
These regions suit slightly different trips. Fold the Clare Valley into an Adelaide-based wine tour or a run north towards the Flinders Ranges; save Coonawarra for a Limestone Coast journey along the Adelaide–Melbourne route. Both deserve an overnight, and both are best explored with a wine tour or driver so you can taste freely. See our getting around guide.
Clare Valley & Coonawarra: your questions
The Clare Valley is Australia's Riesling heartland — its cool nights and rolling hills produce taut, mineral, age-worthy whites that are among the country's finest. It's also known for excellent Shiraz and the wonderful Riesling Trail, a 35 km cycling and walking path along a former railway linking cellar doors. Historic Sevenhill (SA's oldest winery, founded by Jesuits in 1851) is a highlight. See our Clare Valley wine guide.
Coonawarra, in SA's south-east, is Australia's benchmark region for Cabernet Sauvignon, thanks to its famous strip of terra rossa — red soil over limestone — that gives the wines their structure and elegance. It's a small, flat, cellar-door-dense region, easy to explore by bike or car, and close to the Limestone Coast and Mount Gambier. See our Coonawarra wine guide.
They lie in different directions. The Clare Valley is about 2 hours north of Adelaide, making it a comfortable day trip or overnight. Coonawarra is further, roughly 4 hours south-east towards the Victorian border, so it's best as part of a Limestone Coast trip or a longer wine tour rather than a day trip. Both reward an overnight stay to slow down and taste properly.
The Riesling Trail is a scenic 35 km walking and cycling path through the Clare Valley, following a disused railway line between Auburn and Clare. It links a string of cellar doors, cafés and villages, so you can pedal gently from tasting to tasting through the vines and gum trees. Bike hire is easy to arrange locally — it's one of the loveliest, most relaxed ways to experience an Australian wine region.
For wine lovers, very much so — they offer Australia's finest Riesling and Cabernet respectively, with far fewer crowds than the big-name regions. The Clare Valley pairs beautifully with an Adelaide-based trip or a run north towards the Flinders, while Coonawarra suits a Limestone Coast journey between Adelaide and Melbourne. Both are relaxed, scenic and welcoming. See our wine tours.