Wine caused painter to set about innkeeper at first (7)
I believe the answer is:
madeira
'wine' is the definition.
(Madeira is an example)
'caused painter to set about innkeeper at first' is the wordplay.
'caused' becomes 'made' (making is a kind of causing).
'painter' becomes 'ra'.
'to set about' indicates putting letters inside.
'at first' suggests taking the first letters.
The first letter of 'innkeeper' is 'i'.
'made'+'ra'='madera'
'madera' going around 'i' is 'MADEIRA'.
(Other definitions for madeira that I've seen before include "cake producer" , "Cake - wine" , "Sponge-cake" , "Dessert wine from a Portuguese Atlantic island" , "Portuguese island, capital Funchal" .)