Who could say no to a wine made from Australia’s most widely planted grape variety, Shiraz? Concentrated ripe red and black fruit, sweet spicy aromas, a velvety palate, and a peppery, super-charged aftertaste. These are the defining traits that crown this grape as the princess of Australian varieties—making it truly unbeatable!
The d'Arenberg winery is nestled in one of South Australia's most picturesque wine regions, McLaren Vale. In 1912, Joseph Osborn gave up his passion for horse racing and a successful racehorse breeding farm to purchase the estate that would later become the iconic d'Arenberg. Today, the winery is in the hands of the fourth generation, Chester Osborn, who is dedicated to producing wines with strong character and expressive personality.
The winery operates according to certified organic and biodynamic principles, in line with Sustainable Winegrowing Australia (SWA), and is part of Australia’s First Families of Wine—a group founded in 2009 by pioneering wine families who now have a collective legacy spanning 48 generations, eager to share their stories with the world.
Powered by solar panels and having reduced plastic use by 70% compared to a conventional winery, d'Arenberg still carries out some grape pressings the traditional way—in large open-top fermenters! The winery’s visitor center is a modern architectural masterpiece that blends harmoniously with the surrounding vineyards—none other than the famous d'Arenberg Cube!
For The Footbolt, the Shiraz grapes are divided into small batches and gently pressed separately. Some are still foot-trodden the traditional way, with fermentation beginning in open tanks. Fermentation finishes in a mix of new and used French and American oak barrels, where the wine stays on lees to soften the tannins and add a delicate smoky touch. Bottled without filtration, the result is an elegant yet dynamic wine!
And the cherry on top? The wine is named after Osborn’s best racehorse!
