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.

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'.