d’Arenberg Winemaker Lunch at the Guard & Grace, Denver
Beverage Analyst
August 2014
One of the undisputed kings of Australian Shiraz and Rhone varietals, d’Arenberg was established in McLaren Vale in 1912. The estate has passed down through four generations to current winemaker Chester Osborn. “This is one of South Australia’s most renowned wineries and in institution in McLaren Vale,” says Robert Parker, Jr.
d’Arenberg has managed to turn individuality into an art form by doing a whole lot of little things differently. By maintaining a focus on traditional winemaking and nurturing their old-vine material, the Osborn clan has successfully established themselves as one of the country’s leading producers of characterful, concentrated, wines. Guests at a winemaker lunch with Chester Osborn at Guard & Grace in downtown Denver visited with Osborn as they tasted through several new releases and a selection of single vineyard Shiraz. Osborn is certifiably one of the industry’s great characters, and brought with him not only his usual complement of “toys” that represent his wines’ unique and whimsical names, but also an array of caricatures of labels done by an artist friend.