Eurythmics star Dave Stewart releases wine

Former Eurythmics star Dave Stewart has become the latest celebrity vintner after teaming up with McLaren Vale estate Mollydooker on a limited edition bottling. As reported on thedrinksbusiness.com, Ringmaster General Shiraz 2010, named after title of Stewart's upcoming album, is priced at £78. The 15.5% abv wine is a repackaged version of the Australian estate’s Carnival of Love Shiraz 2010, which is barrel-fermented and matured in 100% new American oak.

Lisa Perotti-Brown of The Wine Advocate describes the wine as having: “An intense scent of blueberry preserves, creme de cassis and warm black cherries with an undercurrent of baking spices, licorice, mocha, vanilla, toast and eucalypt.” Suggested food pairings on the Mollydooker site include kangaroo and chocolate fondue. A bottle of the wine can be seen in the rocker's new video for Girl In A Catsuit.

“It has been an absolute pleasure working with such a creative and talented man as Dave Stewart,” said Mollydooker owners Sarah and Sparky Marquis. “Sarah and Sparky are the flying trapeze artists of the wine world and I’m so honoured to collaborate with them on Ringmaster General Shiraz,” Stewart added. The wine comes in a gift box, which includes the new album and a documentary on the making of The Ringmaster General and Stewart’s critically acclaimed 2011 album The Blackbird Diaries.

Post Eurythmics, Sunderland-born singer/songwriter Stewart has enjoyed considerable success as a solo artist, working with the likes of Ringo Star, Mick Jagger, Jon Bon Jovi and Bryan Ferry. In 2010 he penned the non-fiction book The Business Playground on the importance of creativity in business. Stewart is married to Dutch photographer Anoushka Fisz with whom he has two daughters.

d'Arenberg celebrates 100th birthday

Quirky McLaren Vale winery d’Arenberg marks 100 years of family ownership this year, and, as reported on the drinks business, chief winemaker Chester Osborn is keen to take the centenary celebrations around the world. “We’ll be hosting dinners and parties all over the world. We want to involve as many people as possible, we can’t think of a better excuse to have a party,” he said. The celebrations kicked off last week with a party hosted by the company’s 84-year-old managing director, d’Arry Osborn (left).

Chester has released a celebratory fizz called Dadd, made of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay, to mark the centenary. Though milestone is worth making a noise about, Osborn, who is currently nursing a torn Achilles tendon, believes it represents a moment in a much longer journey. "I'm just the custodian at this time, preparing to pass it on," he said.

Established in April 1912 by teetotaler and racehorse owner Joseph Osborn, four generations of the Osborn family have worked the property and shaped the family business into its current form. d’Arry took over from his father in 1943 aged 16. During his tenure, he initiated the red stripe on the labels and championed Grenache. “Things were very different in those days. We worked with horses as we didn’t have a tractor. The winemaking was also a lot more agricultural,” he said.

d’Arry handed over the reins to his son, Chester, in 1983 after he graduated. At the helm, Chester’s main aim has been driving a focus on premium wines, while maintaining the techniques used by his ancestors. d’Arenberg now exports to over sixty countries and has become one of Australia’s best-known wine brands, its wines easily recognised by their diagonal red stripe and eccentric names, like The Stump Jump, Dead Arm, Hermit Crab, Love Grass and Laughing Magpie.

Osborn believes the quirky names keep the d'Arenberg brand fresh. "My father stopped saying “no more labels” about 20 years ago when he realised they increased our story," he said. The winery plans to release a number of new labels this summer, including a single vineyard Shiraz and a rosé called Stephanie the Gnome, taking its total count up to 60.

Jackson Family Wines acquires Clarendon

Jackson Family Wines has bought the revered Clarendon vineyard in McLaren Vale – the source some of Australia’s finest Shiraz, Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon. As reported in the drinks business, although no purchase price was announced, industry sources estimate it was sold for more than US$10m. “It says something that an iconic American wine company wants to have a stake in Australia and in the Clarendon Hills,” said David Hickinbotham, who managed the family vineyard. California-based Jackson Family Wines is keen to add more high-end estates to its portfolio and is eyeing up opportunities in South Africa.

The sale of the 180-hectare estate, which has grown grapes for wines including Penfolds Grange, Eileen Hardy and Clarendon Hills, comprises 84 planted acres on rolling hillsides, and two homes. The Hickinbotham family put the site up for sale in 2010 after the death of Alan Hickinbotham, David’s father, who bought the estate several decades ago and greatly expanded the plantings. “We had six offers and we all agreed that this was the best fit,” Hickinbotham said.

Clarendon Hills proprietor Roman Bratasiuk, who labeled single-vineyard Shiraz, Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon bottlings as Hickinbotham Vineyard, will continue to have rights to the same portions of the vineyard under terms of the sale to Jackson. “They didn’t have to do that,” Hickinbotham noted, “but they agreed to honor what was a handshake agreement for the past 15 years.”

One of the first vineyards planted at elevation in South Australia, Clarendon was established in 1858 and has vines dating back to 1923. The estate includes an 8,000-square-foot stone mansion and an earth sheltered house built into a hillside, designed by celebrated German architect Gerhard Schurer in 1981. Jackson plans to convert both buildings into hospitality houses for guests.

Katie Jackson, daughter of the company’s late founder Jess Jackson, and current chairwoman Barbara Banke, will be responsible for the Clarendon property. “We see more interest in Australian wines, especially at the top end,” Jackson said. “My father taught me that it’s all about the vineyard, and this was a great opportunity to add a special one. I know how beautiful the area is, and how great the wines can be. I have high hopes,” she added.

Battle of Bosworth

Wine and the City talks to Louise Hemsley-Smith, co-owner of Battle of Bosworth winery in the McLaren Vale, Australia, at Quo Vadis in Soho, about the reasoning behind the historic name, the benefits of single site wine, sulphur-free Shiraz, and natural wine bohemians.

d'Arenberg "Dadd" sparkling wine released

McLaren Vale producer d’Arenberg has released a limited edition sparkling wine called Dadd. As reported on thedrinksbusiness.com, the label carries the signature d’Arenberg red sash, which bears a striking resemblance to a Champagne house with a similarly familial name.

Chief winemaker Chester Osborn revealed the project has been one hundred years in the making. “Four generations of dads have culminated in this celebratory project. It has taken us a century to produce a high end sparkling wine from high altitude vineyards in the Adelaide Hills – the highest altitude in fact,” he said.

The non-vintage sparkler is a blend of 52% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir and 8% Pinot Meunier. As to the wine’s reception in the UK, Osborn is confident it will be welcomed with good humour. “I’m really excited about it. We wanted to call it Dadd with a double ‘d’ because there are so many of us involved with the project”, he said.

In defense of the provocative label, he said: “The Dadd label features the red sash because all of our wines have it – it’s been with us for sixty years.” 2012 marks the 100th anniversary of the family-owned winery.

Chester Osborn, d'Arenberg

Wine and the City chats to Chester Osborn, the flamboyant chief winemaker of d'Arenberg in McLaren Vale at the London International Wine Fair about his involvement with Australia's First Families of Wine, his controversially titled new sweet wine: Botryotinia Fuckeliana, and the launch of his new sparkling wine, 'Dadd'.