Visit Clare Valley - Food, wine & accommodation - Clare Valley, South Australia.

JP's Poles @ The Reserve

2011-09-15T10:56:00.003+09:30

One of the Clare Valleys truly inventive artists, Julianne Pulford has created these magnificent mosaic poles that now welcome our guests to The Reserve.

The Great Clare Valley Food & Wine Tour

2011-08-27T15:29:00.002+09:30

New Entrance for The Reserve

2011-08-24T10:32:00.002+09:30

At last! After 4 years The Reserve is getting a new entrance - road works under way! Yeah!

2011-07-19T17:22:00.002+09:30

Having sent recent guests to The Reserve what I felt were explicit directions - this was the email I received from them en route!! Very funny.

Getting Married?

2011-04-16T14:33:00.002+09:30

If you are booked into The Reserve Apartment for your wedding we will offer you our vintage white jaguar (complete with ribbons and driver!) to take you to and from your ceremony and reception. And at our special guest rate we can also offer our 10 seater Transit.

New Initiative for The Reserve Apartment

2011-03-21T17:33:00.002+10:30

We are about to introduce a great new initiative at The Reserve Apartment. A Notebook will be available for our guests to check and send emails and also to view our blog site and keep in touch with 'what's on' in and around the Valley. Our busy season is upon us and we look forward to welcoming old friends and new ones to our 4.5 star luxury apartment in the beautiful Clare Valley.

The Grape Express

2010-11-20T10:23:00.002+10:30

Why not add another dimension to your next Clare Valley visit. Take the GRAPE EXPRESS - this is a 4 hour tour on each Saturday for a maximum of 10 guests in our comfortable AC mini coach. Visiting family and historic wineries in Sevenhill, Polish Hill, Mintaro, Watervale and Skilly Hills. A platter lunch is pre-ordered on your behalf from one of the vineyard bistros along the way. Tour $50 per head. Lunch $15-$20 per head. Private tours for small groups by arrangement any day.

Hola! Solar!!

2010-11-20T10:00:00.002+10:30

Another stage of our Green Policy has been completed.
We now have 18 solar modules on the garage roof. (Fronius IG Unit in the Photovoltaic System).
The unit will tranform the direct current (DC) generated by the modules into alternating current(AC) - this current is then fed into our home system or into the public mains. Sounds highly techninal? As long as it means lower electricity bills - you gotta love it! By the way have just received a congratulatory message from SA Water regarding our low water usage for the quarter - due to the use of our harvested water for home and The Reserve. Go Green!

It's nice when guests appreciate what you have done!

2010-08-10T16:17:00.000+09:30

It is always nice to hear that our guests have enjoyed their stay with us at The Reserve. Gratifying, too, that they take the time to say 'thanks'. Makes all that cleaning/washing/ ironing worth while!!!!

RE: Green .. green ...green

2010-08-02T14:05:00.002+09:30

Further to our ongoing efforts to be as green as we can be ... we have just had a rainwater tank installed for use by The Reserve. So 'while stocks last' the apartment will be serviced entirely by our own harvested water.

Inaugural Photo Competition

2010-08-01T12:01:00.005+09:30

The Clare Valley Business & Tourism Assoc recently held their inaugural Photographic Competition to gather great images from our region. Great entries - over 300 - but the winner was .....

James Cowperthwaite - well done son!!!

Exciting New Website

2010-06-07T10:38:00.002+09:30

We have joined with the top accommodation in the Clare Valley (4.5 star) to offer a complete luxury package to visitors looking for the ultimate Clare Valley Experience. The website explains it all (www.thebestofclarevalley.com)

... from The Reserve Message Book

2010-05-16T10:10:00.003+09:30

Julie & David

What a beautiful place you have here, it was more perfect than we imagined, thank you for all the nice touches - breakfast, wine, robes, magazines ---- you thought of everything. we hope to get up here again before our work assignment in beautiful SA is over. Warm regards Peggy & Lucian

(9 May 10)

2010-05-02T15:34:00.000+09:30

Autumn has come to the Clare Valley. What a glorious sight - the weather is great too! Cool,crips mornings and evenings and wonderful days.

2010-04-23T10:04:00.001+09:30

Some images from the Cruise.

Home Sweet Home

2010-04-23T09:48:00.001+09:30

After a wonderful trip to South America in February - visiting Buenos Airies, cruising down the coast and rounding The Horn and seeing the breathtaking Avenue of Glaciers and the Beagle Channel and spending the last 5 days of our holiday in Santiago - the 'terramotto' struck on our last night (7.6 in our area) and almost ruined the whole trip! It was very frightening and then frustration set in when we couldn't get any information about our departure - finally boarded our plane 5 days later having waited in a queue for 7 hours! Never so pleased to see Australian soil.

Bad news for tour Down Under Fans

2010-04-23T09:45:00.001+09:30

After being feted as a most successful start to the 2010 Tour Down Under - The Clare Valley has been left out of next year's schedule - no explanation given!!! Boooo Hissss

Tour Down Under in Clare

2010-01-19T11:40:00.000+10:30

What a buzz! Have just watched the start of Tour Down Under 2010. Our Main Street was packed with people. Fantastic spectacle. And lots of lycra!!

Great New Year in The Valley

2010-01-18T12:42:00.004+10:30

The New Year is starting with a bang! The Tour Down Under commences in Clare tomorrow (19th Jan 2010) and tonight the local community is staging a street party starting at 5pm. Should be great - traders opening late and lots of street stalls with food/wine etc.

And then on Saturday 23rd Jan the inaugural Clare Valley Short Film Festival begins at our wonderful theatre in Blyth culminating, after a day of finalist screenings, in award winners being announced from 9.30pm. Apparently this Festival will be held every 2 years at the Blyth Cinema - what a coup!

Clare Valley Cuisine

2009-12-03T09:57:00.005+10:30

On Tuesday night the Clare Valley Cuisine group held a 'get to know us' event at our VIC. It was great and I have made my 'new decade resolution' to use, wherever possible, food from our region @ The Reserve.

Starting in 2010 I will start to present Four Leaf muesli, local olives and oil, bacon cured by our ownJason at Mathies Meats. The array of locally produced and made food and condiments was amazing. Well done Clare Cuisine!

Reserve Apartment - Update

2009-11-25T10:18:00.004+10:30

Now it is almost officially summer I have changed the beds @ The Reserve from their warm reds (ideal for cosy autumn/winter visiting) to a cooler look.

Relay for Life

2009-11-23T15:22:00.004+10:30

Congratulations to all participants and organizers of the recent Relay for Life held on the Clare Oval. It was a fabulous event - very moving. Walking throughout the night was amazing. Around $100,000.00 was raised for cancer research.

Riesling Trail

2009-11-22T22:28:00.003+10:30

Last Sunday the Premier of South Australia Mike Rann officially opened the next section of the iconic Riesling Trail. This section runs north from Clare to Barinia and adds another dimension to the already immensely popular cycling and walking trail. We are looking forward to welcoming guests to The Reserve Apartment who will make use of our complimentary bicycles and check it out for themselves.

Clare Gourmet Market Image 2

2009-11-06T12:42:00.000+10:30

Clare Valley Gourmet Market Image

2009-11-06T12:32:00.001+10:30

Clare Gourmet Market

2009-11-05T22:58:00.002+10:30

First Clare Gourmet market was held on Sunday 1st November at Ennis Park (next to Town Hall). Great success - good food, coffee, fresh veggies. Next one on Sunday 6th December - 9am till 1pm

Congratulations - Crabtree Sweeps Clare Valley Wine Show!

2009-11-03T11:15:00.005+10:30

Crabtree Wines at Watervale cleaned up at the Clare Wine Show! Congratulations to Rasa & Richard - a great spot to visit - a regular stop on our wine tasting tours. See below for full press release:

Press Release
October 2009
Crabtree Sweeps Clare Valley Wine Show

Boutique winery Crabtree Watervale Wines dominated the awards at 2009 Clare Valley Wine Show last Friday taking away an unprecedented 7 Trophies. Their recently released 2009 Crabtree Hilltop Riesling was awarded 4 major Trophies including the prestigious Mick Knappstein Trophy for Best Current Release Riesling. The wine also won Best Riesling of Show, Best Single Vineyard Wine and Best Wine of Show.

Wine Show Judges comment on the 2009 Riesling current vintage class was "A superb line up of well made, interesting wines that showcase a great vintage in Clare. Very difficult to judge, so many outstanding wines."

The 2008 Crabtree Watervale Riesling won Best Exhibition Section Dry Riesling 2008 Vintage, adding to last years Winestate Magazine Trophy for Riesling Wine of the Year.

The Crabtree winemaking team were not only recognised for their fine estate grown and handpicked Rieslings but honours were spread across the majority of their entries. They were awarded the Best Small Producer Trophy with 9 medals from only 11 entries which included a Gold medal for their 2009 Crabtree Bay Of Biscay Rose.
Richard Woods said of the win that "This is an exciting result for our small team. We've only been together for two vintages and we're really honoured to be recognised in this way."

Talented Clare Valley Winemaker Kerri Thompson was acknowledged during the award acceptance speeches, as was Cellar Manager Brendan Pudney who was awarded the inaugural Viticulturist Trophy.

The Clare Valley Wine Show success follows on from the 2009 Royal Adelaide Wine Show the previous week where the 2009 Crabtree Watervale Riesling was awarded a Gold medal and top of its class.

For more information, tasting notes and high resolution images please contact Richard Woods by email richard@crabtreewines.com.au or phone 0488243200.

Notes to Editors:
A summary of Crabtree Clare Valley Wine Show Awards are;

Best Exhibition Section Dry Riesling, 2008 Vintage - 2008 Crabtree Watervale Riesling
Mick Knappstein Trophy Best Current Vintage Riesling - 2009 Crabtree Hilltop Riesling
Best Riesling of Show - 2009 Crabtree Hilltop Riesling
Best Small Producer - Crabtree Watervale Wines
Best Single Vineyard Wine - 2009 Crabtree Hilltop Riesling
Viticulturist Trophy - Brendan Pudney, Crabtree Cellar Manager
Jim Barry Trophy Best Wine of Show - 2009 Crabtree Hilltop Riesling

2009 Crabtree Watervale Riesling RRP $22
2009 Crabtree Hilltop Riesling RRP $20
2009 Crabtree Bay Of Biscay Rose RRP $20

Crabtree Watervale Wines was recently rated a 5 Star Winery - 2010 James Halliday Australian Wine Companion

The 2009 Crabtree Hilltop Riesling, 2009 Crabtree Watervale Riesling and 2009 Crabtree Bay Of Biscay Rose are currently available from leading Restaurants and Fine Wine Retailers nationally.

Happy Guests

2009-10-28T10:24:00.007+10:30

Recently we had a last minute arrival in The Reserve Apartment. In discussion they mentioned that The Reserve had not been their first choice! (I hate that!) However when they left 2 days later having greatly enjoyed their stay they were making arrangements to return AND bring some friends! (Gotta love that!)

The Annie's Lane 145th Clare Show!

2009-10-17T13:16:00.000+10:30

Saturday October 17, 2009 9.00 am to 9.00pm

This iconic event is a major Clare Valley crowd pleaser and is the largest one-day show in the mid-north.

Attractions include the Clare Concert Band , Camel rides, Country Singers, Clare Motorcycle Club demos,
Whip Cracking Events, Dog Jumping, Flowers, Fun, Food.

Huge Fireworks finale at 8.00pm