De Bortoli Wines Explained

De Bortoli Wines Pty Limited
Industry:Wine
Type:Private
Foundation:1928
Location:Bilbul, New South Wales, Australia
Key People:Emeri De Bortoli, Darren De Bortoli, Leanne Webber (nee De Bortoli), Victor De Bortoli, Kevin De Bortoli[1]
Homepage:http://www.debortoli.com.au

De Bortoli Wines is a wine-producing private family-owned company based in Australia. In 2022 it was ranked the seventh largest Australian wine company by production,[2] and the sixth largest in terms of total revenue.[3] Its range of wines includes the sweet botrytized (Noble rot-affected) white dessert wine, Noble One.[4] [5] [6]

Wineries and vineyards

De Bortoli Wines currently owns four wineries in four different Australian wine growing regions, this follows the acquisition of the vineyards, winery and tourism facility of Rutherglen Estates in 2018.[7] [8]

The company has vineyards in the same regions as its wineries, along with the King Valley in Victoria.

Winemaking

The winemaking team is overseen by third-generation winemaker Darren De Bortoli and his brother-in-law Steve Webber.[11] In the early 1980s, Darren De Bortoli created the Noble One Botrytis Semillon. Leanne De Bortoli and her husband, Steve Webber, established the company's Yarra Valley winery and restaurant complex in the late 1980s, with Steve Webber also responsible for overseeing the Yarra Valley winery and vineyards.[11] [12] [1]

Noble One

De Bortoli Wines Noble One Botrytis Semillon is a sweet white dessert wine, developed by Darren De Bortoli during the early 1980s.[6]

Since its release, Noble One has been awarded 104[13] Trophies, 352 Gold medals[13] and 113 International Awards. In 2005 screw cap closures were placed on 50% of the 750ml bottles of 2003 Noble One in a trial that attempted to ensure fruit intensity and freshness for consumers. De Bortoli Wines have kept the 375ml, 50% of the 750ml and all export stock under cork. However, in an industry where issues over cork taint keep arising, approximately 34% of wines are sealed with some type of synthetic closure.

Noble One was given its name in 1990 as a result of the bilateral agreement between Australia and the European Economic Community in which Australia agreed to phase out the use of European names on wine labels. Previously the wine was known as 'Sauternes,' but today it is simply called Noble One.[14]

History

During Darren De Bortoli's years at Roseworthy Agricultural College, Australia's premier winemaking institute, a lot of development work was being done on Botrytis wine styles. While there, De Bortoli decided to make a botrytis affected wine of his own. At that time (1982) there was a surplus of Semillon grapes, a thin skinned, tight bunched varietal particularly susceptible to extensive, uniform botrytis infection. The resulting wine went on to win numerous awards including Best Botrytis Wine at the International Wine and Spirit Competition in 1984.[4]

History

De Bortoli Wines was established in 1928 by Vittorio & Giuseppina De Bortoli and rapidly expanded under the direction of their son, Deen De Bortoli.[15] The family history is documented in a book called Celebrazione! launched in 2003 to celebrate De Bortoli Wines' 75th Anniversary.[16]

Deen De Bortoli (born 1936) was the chairman of De Bortoli Wines. He was born in 1936, and at age 15 he left school to help his parents Vittorio and Giuseppina run the family business.[15] He married Emeri De Bortoli in 1958, and lived in Bilbul, New South Wales, his whole life. Deen and Emeri had four children, all of which work for the company today. Deen featured in the 2002 episode of the ABC's Dynasties television series titled The De Bortolis of Griffith[17] which tracked the growth over three generations of the family business from Italian immigrants into one of Australia's largest family wine companies. Deen passed away in 2003 at the age of 67.[15]

Darren De Bortoli (born 1960) is currently the managing director of De Bortoli Wines Pty Limited. Darren studied winemaking at Roseworthy College in South Australia, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Oenology in 1982. Darren is well known for his Botrytis Semillon, Noble One. At the age of 33, Darren was appointed Managing Director.[18] Along with his father, he was also featured in the 2002 episode of the ABC's Dynasties television series titled The De Bortolis of Griffith[17]

Darren's sister Leanne manages the Yarra and King Valley wineries with her husband Stephen Webber. Webber is also the Chief Winemaker, for the Yarra Valley Winery of the De Bortoli family business, established in 1928. He was awarded 'Winemaker of the Year by Gourmet Traveller WINE' in 2007.[19]

In 2018 a social media scandal surrounding Darren De Bortoli's personal postings became international news. The postings were described as "sexist" and "inappropriate."[20]

Achievements

Environment and technology

As a family-owned company, De Bortoli Wines has often taken a longer-term view of the world than a traditional corporate equivalent.

Examples include the consideration of concepts such as data sovereignty and commitment to open standards and the rollout of Linux desktop clients.[24] [25] [26]

Examples of De Bortoli Wines' long-term view of environmental sustainability include:

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Italian lessons . afr.com . . Cornell . Andrew . 29 August 2003 . 30 June 2024.
  2. Web site: Australia’s largest wine companies by total wine production . winetitles.com . winetitles media . 2023 . 22 June 2024.
  3. Web site: Australia’s largest wine companies by total revenue . winetitles.com . winetitles media . 2023 . 23 June 2024.
  4. Web site: De Bortoli celebrating 40 Noble years . theshout.com.au . The Shout . 31 March 2022 . Young . Andy . 22 June 2024.
  5. Book: Halliday, James . 40 . Wines of Australia . 2003 . Mitchell Beazley . 1840007087 .
  6. Web site: 13 December 2019. Noble One named one of New World's Top 10 Sweet Wines. 13 October 2020. Drinks Trade.
  7. Web site: De Bortoli Wines buys Rutherglen Estates . wbmonline.com.au . Wine Business Magazine . Madigan . Anthony . 15 December 2018 . 22 June 2024.
  8. Web site: De Bortoli buys Rutherglen Estates . The Real Review . . Huon . 31 January 2019 . 22 June 2024.
  9. Web site: De Bortoli Wines Pokolbin . visitnsw.com . 30 June 2024.
  10. Web site: Halliday: De Bortoli (Hunter Valley) . . 30 June 2024.
  11. Web site: Winemaker Interview – Steve Webber . grape-to-glass.com . Hubble . Gavin . 30 June 2024.
  12. Web site: De Bortoli Yarra Valley Estate . visityarravalley.com.au . 30 June 2024.
  13. Web site: Noble One 25th Vintage Anniversary.
  14. Web site: 5 September 2003. Noble One's array of gongs are a case of just desserts. 13 October 2020. Australian Financial Review.
  15. Web site: A fine De Bortoli vintage runs dry . 28 October 2003 . 22 June 2024 . The Age newspaper.
  16. Web site: De Bortoli Wines. 13 October 2020. Wine Yarra Valley.
  17. Web site: Dynasties: The De Bortolis Of Griffith . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304041919/http://www.abc.net.au/dynasties/txt/s1010334.htm . 23 December 2002 . 4 March 2016 . .
  18. Web site: Our Family . 17 September 2022 . De Bortoli Wines.
  19. Web site: Dining Out.
  20. Web site: Madigan . Anthony . 2018-02-10 . De Bortoli Wines in Damage Control After Offensive Facebook Post . 2023-05-25 . WBM Online . en-AU.
  21. Web site: Death of Mr Deen de Bortoli - 29/10/2003 - ADJ - NSW Parliament. 20 December 2008. 16 January 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090116035056/http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/hansart.nsf/V3Key/LC20031029056. dead.
  22. Web site: The Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) | AWRI Board . https://web.archive.org/web/20081218235704/http://awri.com.au/about_us/AWRI_Board/. 18 December 2008.
  23. Web site: The Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) | AWRI Board . https://web.archive.org/web/20081218235704/http://awri.com.au/about_us/AWRI_Board/ . 18 December 2008.
  24. Web site: 11 March 2008 . Open source of grape expectations . 23 June 2024. . Kate . Hennessy.
  25. Web site: 18 August 2005 . Open source of grape expectations . 23 June 2024. . "Jeanne-Vida" . Douglas.
  26. Web site: KDE Software Down Under . kde.org . 18 February 2014 . 23 June 2024.
  27. Web site: De Bortoli Wines: Sustainable success case study . . November 2009 . 30 June 2024.
  28. Web site: How De Bortoli Wines is tackling climate change from ‘grape to glass’ . NSW Office of Environment and Heritage . 23 June 2024.
  29. Web site: De Bortoli Wines - Our vision to become a ‘Zero Waste Winery’ . youtube.com . De Bortoli Wines . en . video . 13 November 2017.
  30. Web site: De Bortoli recognised as top sustainability partner by NSW Government . The Shout . May . Seamus . 19 January 2023 . 23 June 2024.
  31. Web site: Environment and Heritage: De Bortoli Wines . . 23 June 2024.
  32. Web site: De Bortoli Wines becomes first and only platinum partner in NSW sustainability program . RegionRiverina . Jacques . Oliver . 5 August 2023 . 30 June 2024.

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