Knappstein

Knappstein: rhymes with wine.

The Knappstein Enterprise Winery & Brewery (to give it its full name) is one of the Clare Valley's leading wineries, and is as adept at making wines from Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer or Cabernet as it is Riesling, Clare's most famous variety. As the name suggests, they are also pretty good at making beer around here. Clare's suitability for Riesling is well documented. In fact, it can probably lay claim to being the Southern Hemisphere's greatest terroir for the grape. The Watervale zone within Clare is especially famous and the source for Knappstein's single vineyard Riesling. The Ackland vineyard is one of the oldest in Clare and celebrates its fortieth birthday in 2009. The 450m altitude and east and north-eastern aspect help cool the grapes and protect the all important acidity in the Riesling. The result is an intense, limey wine with depth, concentration and great minerality.

Further down the valley, Riesling gives way to reds and especially Cabernet Sauvignon. Once again, old vines rule around here. Like the Ackland vineyard up the hill in Watervale, the Enterprise reaches the big 4-0 this year. Whilst not as minty as Coonawarra Cabernet or as restrained as Margaret River versions, Clare Cabernet is often among Australia's best with a richness of cassis fruit allied to a fresh, elegant strucure. The Enterprise is as good as it gets.

Back at base after a day in the vineyards, there's only one thing you'll find in the glasses of winemaker Julian Langworthy and his team: Knappstein Enterprise Lager. Recently revived by Knappstein, this lager revives a lapsed brewing tradition on the site that was first started in 1876. It actually tastes more like pale ale than lager with delicious floral notes that have led us to guess that a few aromatic wine yeasts might have followed Julian into the brewery. However, he is not giving away his secrets. Whatever he's up to, it works a treat after a hard day's scrubbing fermentation tanks and racking barrels.