Adam Clay

Coming Up

The University of Adelaide gave Adam Clay the technical ground for a career that moved straight into cellar and winery work. At Penfolds in Barossa, where he worked as winemaker from 2006–2016, the pace was shaped by precision and repetition in one of Australia’s most scrutinised wine regions. Since 2018, he has been winemaker at Arila Gardens, a position tied to wines that are meant to read clearly of vineyard and region. Taken together, those appointments show a practice that stays close to Barossa while moving across estates: the work shifts venue, but remains anchored in fruit, site and style rather than spectacle.

Where They Are Now

Grenache, Shiraz and Mataro varietals and blends sit at the centre of Adam Clay’s current work. That focus gives his wines a clear red-wine frame: varietals and blends handled with attention to balance, structure and the differences between sites and seasons. His signature wines show that range in practical terms. 2024 Urban Hymns Clare Valley Riesling, 2023 Joshua Tree Riesling and 2023 Superstition Reserve Riesling sit alongside 2021 Who are you? Shiraz Mataro and 2021 Dark Side of the Moon Shiraz. The list extends to 2022 The Miseducation of Carissa Major Tempranillo, Losing My Religion Montepulciano from 2023, and 2022 Ironstone and Quartz Garden Shiraz. Read together, they point to a winemaker working across varieties while staying attentive to the shape each fruit line can give. At Arila Gardens since 2018, that work has stayed connected to Moppa and to a stated aim of honouring, preserving and showcasing the fruit. The emphasis is plain: vineyard character first, with the long view on how a site speaks through the bottle.

Career - Winemaker — Arila Gardens, Moppa (2018–present) - Winemaker — Penfolds, Barossa (2006–2016) - Winemaker — Pirathon Wines, Barossa Valley (from 2021) - Winemaker — Claymore Wines (from 2023) Education: University of Adelaide; University of Adelaide; University of Adelaide

Signature

Adam's signature wines include 2024 Urban Hymns Clare Valley Riesling, 2023 Joshua Tree Riesling, 2023 Superstition Reserve Riesling, 2021 Who are you? Shiraz Mataro, and 2021 Dark Side of the Moon Shiraz.

In Their Words “We are driven to make unique wines of the highest quality that capture the essence of our vineyard and region with a focus on sustainability.” “At Pyrathon we specialize in making a whole range of Shirazas sourced predominantly from the north western regions of the Barossa Valley.”

Honors

Clay’s formal credentials begin with oenology at the University of Adelaide and extend through Biotechnology (Honours) at the same institution. No specific award wins are named for him. The durable recognition in his biography is the combination of those university credentials with winemaking roles across Penfolds, Arila Gardens, Pirathon Wines and Claymore Wines.

FAQ Where did Adam Clay train or study? Adam Clay trained at University of Adelaide and University of Adelaide. What is Adam Clay known for? Grenache, Shiraz and Mataro varietals and blends.