Eldredge Vineyards

Tim and Leigh Eldredge planted their first vines high in the Sevenhill hills in 1993, and the cellar door they built around a spring-fed dam remains one of the Clare Valley's most quietly rewarding stops. The setting does a lot of the work here: a timber deck looks out over the water and a tumble of native bush, and the wines are poured with the unhurried warmth of a small operation that has no interest in rushing you.

The Riesling is taut and lime-driven in the classic Clare mould, but Eldredge built its reputation on red — dense, old-vine Shiraz and a Cabernet blend that rewards cellaring. The on-site restaurant leans into long lazy lunches, the kind that start with a tasting and end well into the afternoon.

It sits a short detour off the main Sevenhill cluster, which keeps the crowds down. Come for the view, stay for a bottle of the Blue Chip Shiraz.