‘If it is all gone, are we done? Do we just pack up, call it quits?’: Hills winery rebuilds after bushfire pain

The heart of an acclaimed Adelaide Hills winery razed by a devastating bushfire is being rebuilt as “a destination defined by resilience” – and is almost ready to open.

An acclaimed Adelaide Hills winery is rising from the ashes after being destroyed in a devastating bushfire.

In a project dubbed, “razed to rebuilt” a historic farm house left in ruins when the Cudlee Creek Bushfire swept through the Lobethal vineyard in December 2019 is now being reconstructed as a cellar door.

Vinteloper winery founder David Bowley says it has been an emotional rebuild.

“We were determined to make something amazing out of something awful,” the father of three said.

“It is hard to put into words how important (this rebuild) is … there are just so many layers and levels to it.

“The growth of the business is obviously part of it but the recovery from the devastating impacts of that disaster is the most meaningful part; when your entire property burns to the ground, it is very hard to look into a crystal ball and think positively about the future.”

Advertiser photographer Tait Schmaal captures an image of the historic farm house on fire during the Cudlee Creek disaster.

Vinteloper winery’s David Bowley, wife Sharon Hong and children, three-month-old baby Roland, Jenson, 5, and Dashel, 1, in front of the former farm house being rebuilt as a cellar door. Picture: Tom Huntley

Mr Bowley, a first-generation winemaker, established the winery celebrated for its high quality pinot noir 17 years ago, building it up with wife Sharon Hong.

Ms Hong recalls the heart-rending moment she learned the 1920s building had been caught in the path of the bushfire, which wiped out more than 23,000 hectares.

She was watching the Advertiser’s live coverage of the out-of-control fire when she saw an image of the “beautiful, federation-style, 100-year-old farm house” engulfed in flames.

“I remember looking at the picture and thinking, ‘That is our house’ … that is how I found out,” she said.

“What followed was a real moment for us when we thought, ‘If it is all gone, are we done – do we just pack up and call it quits?”

An aerial shot at the start of the Vinteloper Winery rebuild. Picture: Supplied

But the couple, parents to Jenson, 5, Dashel, 1, and three-month-old Roland, dug deep and set about first re-establishing the vineyards before turning attention to the house, reimagined as a “destination defined by resilience and innovation”.

“The house was so historic, so having it burn down was obviously a real loss … we really wanted to honour the history of the property and the legacy of what had happened in the fires,” Ms Hong said.

Anything that withstood the inferno has been incorporated into the new build, including designing around the red brick facade and installing charred beams as “totem poles” at the entrance to the cellar door, due to open on September 26.

Artist’s impression of the soon-to-open cellar door at Vinteloper Winery. Credit: Studio es Design Co.

The aim to “create an elevated but unpretentious space that feels like home”, also incorporating sustainable aspects such as a 22KW solar system to support off-grid power

“A lot of the red brick facade has been kept intact and we have built upon that with a newer, modern internal structure to ensure we kept all the history of what has happened, instead of just erasing it all and starting afresh,” Ms Hong said.

“The ability to turn around what happened and use it as a catalyst to make something new, has been energising and motivating … but it has been a very long journey.”

Artist’s impression of what the new cellar door at the Vinteloper Winery will look like. Credit: Studio es Design Co.