Australia
Child Company of Wine Australia
One of the most significant wineries in McLaren Vale, d’Arenberg was established in 1912 when Joseph Osborn, a teetotaler and director of Thomas Hardy and Sons, sold his stable of prize winning horses to purchase the property. Each generation of the Osborn family has passed on knowledge to the next custodian of the soil, and today fourth generation family member Chester (Head Winemaker), makes distinctive wines using traditional methods both in the vineyard and the winery.
The personality of each vineyard is encouraged to flourish with minimal intervention: no fertiliser, minimal or no irrigation, no soil cultivation and no herbicide. The winery itself is a working tribute to traditional winemaking. Built in 1927, the original concrete open fermenters are still in operation, and from entry level to iconic, all wines are basket pressed with red ferments foot trod by wader clad cellar hands.
Known for an eclectic portfolio of oddly named wines and a bold red stripe that adorns each bottle, the range is considerable with over 70 wines and 30 grape varieties with styles that include white, red, fortified, sparkling and dessert. Over one thousand show medals and praise from wine scribes all over the world attest to their merits.
In 2017, construction was completed on the d’Arenberg Cube, a five storey multi-function building set among Mourvèdre vines. The Cube includes a new tasting room, restaurant, private tasting areas and state of the art facilities on each level.