Who is this Mr Mick character? It’s a long story… But basically, K.H. Knappstein (Mr Mick to his mates) was a Clare Valley winemaking legend who appointed Tim Adams as his apprentice winemaker in 1975. In 2010, Adams – by this stage approaching legend status himself – bought 7 Dominic Street, Clare, from the Knappstein family, who had owned it since 1894. Adams opened Mr Mick’s cellar door here in 2011.
Keeping up? Even if you’re not, a visit to this architecturally appealing winery is almost mandatory, given that the town of Clare itself is a little thin on street appeal. The old stone building is actually a former distillery: check out the amazing old copper still near Mr Mick Kitchen, a tapas-style restaurant that’s hard to beat for lunch. Order up a bunch of plates to share (confit duck salad; spinach-stuffed mushrooms; braised beef brisket with corn, jalapeño and lime) and a bottle of tempranillo, or hand over the decision making to the kitchen and let the chef feed you (great value at $44/64 without/with pared wines). Tastings at the cellar door start at $10; book for groups.
