Wending through the Adelaide Hills on a drizzly September afternoon, greenery whizzing by out the car window, it’s hard to imagine that a devastating bushfire ripped through this area less than five years ago.
The Cudlee Creek bushfire, which started on December 20, 2019 at 9am, hit multiple towns, including Lobethal, Woodside and Brukunga, and consumed 23,295 hectares. Eighty-five homes were lost, among them the 1920s farmhouse on the property of Adelaide Hills winery Vinteloper.
To add to the tragedy, the fire also destroyed much of Vinteloper’s vineyards, which David Bowley had been tending since he founded the winery in 2008. A lesser man might’ve decided to throw in the towel at that point but, says David: “We were determined to make something amazing out of something awful.”
The goal was to build a new cellar door and tasting room from the ruins of the historic farmhouse, creating a must-visit destination for wine enthusiasts and tourists alike. Five years on, as we pulled up to the brand new cellar door and tasting room outside Lobethal, it’s clear that dream has been realised.
The South Australian minister for tourism, Zoe Bettison, says: “The reopening of this stunning Adelaide Hills winery is a remarkable milestone for the Vinteloper team, region, and our state’s tourism industry.
“I congratulate the team for their resilience, persisting through both the devastation of bushfires and then a global pandemic, to deliver a destination worthy of international recognition.”
The stunning building has been architecturally designed by Detail Studio, with interior design by Melbourne-based Studio Beal, and it’s obvious from the get-go that the space reflects Vinteloper’s ethos to honour the past, while embracing the future.
The cellar door has been built where the farmhouse once stood, and the original red bricks that withstood the blaze are visible on the exterior. Charred wood beams have also been installed at the entrance as totem poles, welcoming guests and acknowledging the events of December 2019.
Walking into the open plan space, with its kitchen island bench and couches huddled around the fireplace, is like being welcomed into a home. This is largely due to the influence of David’s wife Sharon Hong, who was instrumental in the design process. Sharon’s intention was to weave Vinteloper’s DNA throughout, creating an “elevated but unpretentious space that feels like home.”
This feeling of home, and family, is reflected not only in the design of the new cellar door and tasting room, but in Vinteloper’s brand as a whole. Sharon has done the illustrations on many of their bottle labels, and at the launch, David introduces the team as the “Vinteloper family.”
In addition to Sharon and David, the small team includes general manager Akira Takahashi, Melita O’Leary (who wears multiple hats) and winemaker Sarah Marrocco, who joined the Vinteloper team in 2021 to assist in the vineyard recovery.
This process hasn’t just been about replanting what was already there, but about rethinking and reframing the destruction of the bushfire as an opportunity – the chance to do it smarter and better with the benefit of experience.
Sustainability is at the core of this new project, with the build featuring a 22kw solar panel system to support off-grid power, rainwater harvest and storage, and native biodiversity plantings. As with the new cellar door, at the heart it’s about Vinteloper’s commitment to caring for the land and the community.
As David says, “Our sustainability goals aren’t just about the kilowatts and the koalas. It is a place where we can put our values into action, lead by example, and set a standard for the future.”
The new Vinteloper cellar roor and tasting room at 589 Cudlee Creek Road Lobethal SA 5241 is now open. Stop by for a tasting and say hi to the team from Thursday to Monday, 11am–5pm, and on Tuesdays and Wednesdays by appointment.
For more information visit vinteloper.com.au.
Olivia Jay was hosted by Vinteloper.
