Wine
Dandelion Vineyards' Home of Wonder
Dandelion Vineyards' Elena Brooks on McLaren Vale's latest must-visit destination.
Elena and Zar Brooks are unmistakable figures in the South Australian wine landscape. Their winery, Dandelion Vineyards, has been turning heads and winning awards since its inception in 2007, with wines crafted from key vineyards across the state’s premium regions: Adelaide Hills, the Barossa and Eden Valleys, Fleurieu Peninsula, and McLaren Vale.
Visit Dandelion Vineyards
As of this year, the Dandelion Vineyards name is on the lips of wine lovers for more than just its great wines, thanks to the opening of the Wonder Room in McLaren Vale. Located atop the ancient ridge of the stunning Firehawk Farm with views across the Willunga Escarpment and towards the Gulf of St Vincent, it’s become an instantly iconic establishment.
“It had to be spectacular, so Firehawk Farm was the perfect place,” says Elena Brooks, founder and winemaker. Spectacular may be an understatement. In addition to its setting, the Wonder Room presents a dazzling, light-filled edifice atop the ridge, as inviting and refined as the wines to be tasted at this unique cellar door.
Erected in the footprint of the farm’s old tractor shed, the Wonder Room was brought to life by Hank Kaas’ Looka Design and Darren Jones of the GT Building Group. Of its seamless blend of rustic features, warm tones and clean lines, Brooks says “I wanted to incorporate the natural elements of the land where the Wonder Room would be located.” Mission accomplished.
A view of the vineyards from inside the Dandelion Vineyards Wonder Room cellar door.
A TRIUMPH OF TASTE
Polished white terrazzo flooring and an exposed iron frame evoke the white limestone and iron stone in which the vines below this immaculately conceived venue grow.
Meanwhile, an extensive glass façade and striking white amphitheatre-style steps allow visitors to soak in the view to its fullest.
“The Wonder Room takes full advantage of the stunning natural landscape surrounding the vineyard,” says Brooks. “The steps are a standout for me, as I envisioned them as a place where visitors can sit comfortably and take in the views.”
Inside, visitors can expect a host of tasting experiences designed to showcase just why Dandelions Vineyards has become the darling of critics that it is. Across three tasting tiers, guests are treated to wines that represent the finest traditions of Dandelion Vineyards’ artisan winemaking, in sit-down tastings hosted by the Wonder Room team.
“I like to describe our wines as made from old vines for the modern palate,” says Brooks. “Wines that capture our time, our love of food, and our palate.” The wines, including five crafted from the vines of Firehawk Farm, are fruit-forward and aromatic, medium-bodied with great acid and tannin structure.
“My husband, Zar, always says ‘the greatest wines of the world have medium body,’” shares Brooks. And, while not a restaurant, visitors can expect some delicious complementary morsels from the Wonder Room kitchen to match and enrich their tastings of these marvellous regional expressions.
Sublime wines. Sensational views. Stunning architecture – it’s no wonder the Wonder Room has, like the winery that brought it forth into the world, already made an indelible mark on the map of McLaren Vale.
Discover the Wonder Room – and wines to wow you – at dandelionvineyards.com.au