Clare Valley is a narrow, elevated valley north of Adelaide where cool nights offset warm days, an unusual combination that's made it Australia's benchmark region for dry Riesling — taut, lime-scented and built to age for decades under screw cap, a closure the region's producers championed early. Away from Riesling, Clare's varied red and terra rossa soils also produce structured, generous Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Key grapes: Riesling, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon