McLaren Vale: The slice of wine country that will make you forget about the Adelaide Hills

Chester Osborn was seven when he decided he would be a winemaker. It may have seemed like a fait accompli for the fourth generation of one of McLaren Vale’s best loved wineries, d’Arenberg, but it wasn’t until he was sitting on the knee of the late Len Evans, wine writer and doyen of the Australian wine industry, and asked what kind of wine he would make, that his future crystallised.

Osborn’s high-profile role in the industry has given him a passport to cities around the globe, but the colourful winemaker says he’s never felt a desire to live anywhere but the McLaren Vale.

No place like home

“It’s fantastic coming home,” he says, fresh from a short visit to the US. “My house is in the middle of scrub in the middle of the vineyard. I’ve got great views and it’s a beautiful rural setting even though we’re only 45 minutes from Adelaide.”

Osborn says it’s a small, engaged community, making it easy to form strong friendships. The region has also provided plenty of creative inspiration over the years.

As a schoolboy, he won prizes for his photography. As an adult, he’s not only flush with accolades for his creative winemaking, he’s also winning awards for the Cube, an architecturally-striking restaurant, art gallery and cellar door, which opened at the winery in late 2017 and has been wowing visitors ever since.

Osborn’s latest coup has been the Cube’s Salvador Dali exhibition which has been such
a hit, it’s now been extended for 12 months after an initial three-month stint.

A collection of Dali works on loan from the Dali Universe, the exhibition has bumped up visitor numbers not just at d’Arenberg but at businesses across the district.

Spoilt for choice

Osborn says the region is home to 180 wineries and about 50 restaurants, representing a huge and ongoing expansion of McLaren Vale’s offerings.

And the quality of the dining scene is on an upwards trajectory.

Agent David Gray of Raine & Horne McLaren Vale says locals and visitors are now spoilt for choice when it comes to cafes and restaurants. He names Kicco Espresso and Blessed Cheese as two of his favourite places to grab a coffee and Vasarelli, The Currant Shed, Maxwell Wines and the Cube among the top fine dining destinations.

“I’ve been selling property here for 20 years and the changes have been astronomical,” says Gray. “It used to be quiet and sleepy but there’s a lot more activity and more people now. We’ve got all the amenities of the city without all the hustle and bustle.”

Top home in the area

Located a 10-minute drive from the McLaren Vale township and only 20 minutes from the beach, Cielo is an architect-designed residence with a pool on 9.3 hectares of native gardens.

The four-bedroom Dingabledinga residence has a price guide of $1.2 million, and is being marketed by Raine & Horne McLaren Vale.