Francis ‘d’Arry’ Osborn, of d’Arenberg wines, dies at the age of 95
South Australian wine icon and d’Arenberg patriarch, d’Arry Osborn, has been remembered as a true statesman of Australian wine after he passed away at the age of 95.
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South Australian wine icon and d’Arenberg patriarch, d’Arry Osborn, is being remembered as a “true statesman of Australian wine” and a “ray of sunshine”.
Tributes are flowing for Francis d’Arenberg Osborn – widely known and loved as d’Arry – who passed away on Friday at the age of 95. He was 10 days out from his 96th birthday.
Starting at his family’s winery at the age of 16, d’Arry went on to launch the winery’s own label, d’Arenberg, with its famous red stripe, elevating its wine from bulk flagon production to an internationally revered brand.
He leaves behind his son – fourth-generation winemaker Chester, daughter Jacki and grandchildren Alicia, Ruby and Mia Osborn.
Fellow winemakers, industry voices and friends have paid tribute to the “grandfather of McLaren Vale”.
“He was the grand man of McLaren Vale, because he was so determined and he supported the wine industry,” said Mark Lloyd of Coriole.
“He was a McLaren Vale person through and through and he was, obviously, d’Arenberg.”
Winemaker Stephen Pannell said d’Arry pioneered light-to-medium bodied reds – a style Mr Pannell himself has been awarded for in recent years.
“He’s the godfather of grenache,” he said. “But not just grenache; of blends. Most people of his generation hated grenache but he championed it, so I owe him.
“It’s a sad day.”
Leading wine expert James Halliday said d’Arry was “one of a kind”.
“He was a visionary who foresaw the quality of McLaren Vale grenache for table wine, but also saw nothing strange in sitting on a ride-on mower hard at work, when I was part of a group of wine journalists taking a serious look at the complexity of McLaren Vale’s soils!” he said. “And managed to keep son Chester under control in his unique shirts.”
McLaren Vale Grape Wine and Tourism CEO Erin Leggat called d’Arry an “icon”.
“We really call him the grandfather of McLaren Vale,” she said. “It’s hard to express when you lose someone like that. We really will miss him a lot.”
A statement released by the winery said: “d’Arry was much loved by family, friends and wine lovers the world over as a great raconteur, regaling all with humorous stories gathered over a lifetime.
“Third-generation vigneron d’Arry Osborn was a true statesman of Australian wine.
“Wherever you are in the world, raise a glass of ‘d’Arry’s Original’ to honour the great man and a life well lived.”
Born on the property on December 27, 1926 to father Francis Ernest and Helena d’Arenberg, d’Arry was given his mother’s name upon her death.
He started working in his family winery at the age of 16, at a time when clydesdale horses did the work of tractors, learning the trade on the job.
One of his more unconventional winemaking methods was to wear dinner shirts in the winery during vintage, which, in his words, “give the reds more elegance.”
Prior to 1959, the year in which d’Arry launched the d’Arenberg label, the winery made mostly bulk table and fortified wines for export as well as SA label, Emu. d’Arenberg’s first release under its own label was in 1965, and it didn’t take long for the accolades to arrive.
They included the prestigious Jimmy Watson Trophy in 1969 for d’Arry’s 1968 cabernet sauvignon, while his 1967 Red Burgundy – later named d’Arry’s Original, a shiraz grenache blend – was awarded seven trophies and 29 gold medals at Australian wine shows.
d’Arry received the Queen’s Jubilee Medal in 1978, and a Medal of the Order of Australia in 2004, for his contribution to the wine industry and the McLaren Vale region.
Over his lifetime he saw more than 70 consecutive vintages.
Tributes also flowed on social media late Friday.
“Vale the great man,” wrote comedian and wine specialist, Merrick Watts.
Yangarra winemaker Peter Fraser wrote: “Our village has lost a great one today! Will cherish wonderful memories and our thoughts to Chester and his family.”
In the mid-1980s, d’Arry’s son Chester became the chief winemaker and eventually gathered his own accolades, as well as becoming known for driving the d’Arenberg Cube project.
Vale d’Arry Osborn.
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