d'Arenberg

d'Arry Osborn

d'Arry Osborn is loved and respected by everyone in and around the wine industry. It is hard to imagine a more honest, gentle and open man or one who is more passionately devoted to maintaining the integrity of the wine industry in general and McLaren Vale in particular. - James Halliday, Australian wine writer.

A name to remember

d'Arry was born on the Bundarra property on the 27th of December 1926 to Francis Ernest Osborn & Frances Helena d'Arenberg. Francis d'Arenberg was given his mother's maiden name as a middle name because she died giving birth to him and his father wanted her to be remembered. From an early age he was, and stll is, known to all, as d’Arry (pronounced as in ‘Harry’ but with a ‘d’ replacing the ‘H’). d'Arry was raised on the property by his father until moving to Adelaide to attend boarding school at Prince Alfred College. He returned to property at the age of 16 to help his father run the business and took over full management control in 1957 (when his father passed away) On August 16th 1958 d’Arry married Pauline Rowland Preston and had two children Jacqueline Helena and Chester d’Arenberg.

A patron of the South Australian wine industry

In the 1970’s d’Arry’s successes increased whilst he and d’Arenberg Wines gained national and international profiles. Len Evans was an influential champion lauding d’Arenberg Wines and amongst other things, d’Arry’s shirts in the early days. Only his passion for fishing has become more legendary. Evan's observed; “He (d’Arry) is knowledgeable and enthusiastic and, I’m told, inclined to formality during vintage. He wears his old dress shirts as wine-making gear and this is said to give elegance to his reds”.Whilst accolades for d’Arenberg’s new whites and reds increased d’Arry became further entrenched in serving and tirelessly promoting the wine industry in general and McLaren Vale in particular. Since joining the Wine and Brandy Producers Association of South Australia in 1958, over the years d’Arry has been treasurer, vice president & president and is now an honorary life member. d’Arry was also a formation member of the Australian Wine and Brandy Producer’s association, a delegate to the federal council, member of the executive and honorary treasurer. For 28 years d’Arry was a councillor on the South Australian Chamber of Commerce, and was a foundation member and chair of the McLaren Vale Wine Bushing Festival as well as serving as chair of the McLaren Vale Winemakers Association and on the McLaren Vale Water Resources committee and Economic Development Authority Wine Industry inquiry and he continues to serve in numerous official capacities to this day.

A high award and a wine in his honour

In 1978 d’Arry was awarded the Queen’s Jubilee Medal. In 1995 d’Arry was invested as a Patron of the Australian Wine Industry in, “Honour of an outstanding contribution to the affairs of the Australian Wine Industry”, two years after completing his 50th consecutive vintage in 1993. In 1993 d’Arenberg proudly released its most well-known wine, previously just called “Burgundy” for more than four decades, simply as “d’Arry’s Original Shiraz-Grenache” named in honour d'Arry and half a century of winemaking achievement.

Proud Moments

In June 2004 was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in the Queen's Birthday Honours for his contribution to the wine industry and to the McLaren Vale region. After 66 consecutive vintages d’Arry is very proud of his achievements in creating an internationally recognised wine brand commonly known as the Red Stripe from the beginnings of a bulk wine producer to what is d’Arenberg today. However, d’Arry’s proudest moments have been witnessing his son, Chester, and daughter, Jackie, taking up his family’s famous wine legacy over the last decade with the support of his gentle hand. Jackie lives in Sydney and sells d'Arenberg wines with our distributors, Ingelwood wines. She enjoys having d'Arry to stay and host dinners with some of her best customers.