As they say themselves, the wine list is “unashamedly Clare Valley biased”.
Most pubs have a single focused aim to have cold beer on tap. Watervale Hotel goes way beyond that, aiming for their wine list to have every local producer represented, as well as every variety grown in the region – led by Riesling, alongside Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon.
On this carefully curated wine list are around a dozen wine brands that do not have a cellar door. This is Watervale’s way of giving these small businesses a shop-front and exposure.
Their thoughtfulness goes even further: they tailor dining experiences to match wine offerings for public, trade or media events – providing beautiful restaurant facilities to wine brands without onsite restaurant capabilities themselves. This idea of supporting small producers is captured in their Cellars Without Doors degustation dinner held during the region’s annual Gourmet Week festival.
Education is clearly another passion of the duo behind Watervale Hotel, Nicola Palmer (Creative Licensee and Executive Chef) and Warrick Duthy (Poetic Licensee and Sommelier). The Hotel offers a comprehensive wine masterclass at 11am daily, which covers all sorts of topics – history, culture, climate, geology and geography – to explain the diversity and virtues of Clare Valley wines. The iconic wine tasting includes back-vintage wines from the highly desirable Wendouree, Grosset and Kilikanoon brands.
For their efforts, Watervale Hotel won the 2025 Best Of Wine Tourism Award for Wine Tourism Services. The judges said their commitment to the Clare Valley shone through, and commended Watervale’s engaging displays for visitors to learn about the region, and their passion for championing local producers.
Photo: Clare Valley. Tourism Australia / South Australian Tourism Commission