Dandelion Vineyards are proven plantings that have stood the test of time. Our wish is to nurture the unique character of these vineyards and express their terroir in our wines. To capture variety, vintage and vineyard requires an enlightened approach. “When I see a weed I see the Devil” is an old grower’s mantra, but we encourage the humble Dandelion amongst the vines as they suppress winter weeds, provide mulch in summer, and their Wishing Clocks to blow off in spring.

JHL Wine share Dandelion Vineyards’ delight for their receipt of a 5 star rating from James Halliday on his website (www.winecompanion.com.au) for their winery with their first releases!  It can literally take decades to receive a five start rating, and as James says, usually only wines with a distinguished pedigree receive five glass ratings, so to receive such praise for the first year of releases is extraordinary.

“It may be a dauntingly competitive marketplace, but there can be few more promising new ventures than this one.”
“This is a highly impressive partnership between Peggy and Carl Lindner (40%), Elena and Zar Brooks (40%), and Fiona and Brad Rey (20%). It brings together vineyards spread across the Adelaide Hills, Eden Valley, Langhorne Creek, McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley and Fleurieu Peninsula. Elena is not only the beautiful wife of industry dilettante Zar Brooks, but also an exceptionally gifted winemaker. It may be a dauntingly competitive marketplace, but there can be few more promising new ventures than this one.”
James Halliday, Wine Companion website, www.winecompanion.com.au

Australian Gourmet Traveller WINE ‘Best of the Best 2010: new players to watch’
“Brooks has teamed up with his winemaking wife Elena, a woman whose talents are outweighed only by her tolerance, in an exciting new venture called Dandelion Vineyards. The approach is remarkably simple and sees Elena making wine from a suite of beautiful old vineyards identified by Carl Lindner and Brad Rey across that blessed curve that runs from the Barossa, up through the Eden Valley and Adelaide Hills and down into McLaren Vale.

The result is a line-up of wines that show the best in dedicated viticulture and sensitive winemaking, abandoning clutter and artifice for purity and poise. A trophy at the Brisbane show for their first release, the scintillatingly fresh 2009 Dandelion Vineyards Wonderland Of The Eden Valley Riesling, was the first indication, if any was really needed, that this project might be something special. We like to say we’ll be watching developments with great interest, but we know full well we’re going to be very well informed every step of the way.”
Nick Ryan, Gourmet Traveller WINE, April/May 2010

Dandelion Vineyards ‘Wonderland of the Eden Valley’ Riesling

Trophy ‘Best dry white in 2009 classes’ (2009 vintage) - Royal Brisbane Wine Show 2009
Trophy ‘Most Outstanding Table Wine, Small Producer, Premium Classes’ (2009 vintage) -  Barossa Valley Wine Show 2009
Top Gold Medal (2009 vintage) – Royal Brisbane Wine Show 2009
Gold Medal (2009 vintage) - Barossa Valley Wine Show 2009
Blue Gold Award (2009 vintage) - Sydney International Wine Competition 2010

Dandelion Vineyards ‘Lionheart of the Barossa’ Shiraz

Blue Gold Award (2008 vintage) – Sydney International Wine Competition 2010

95/100 points (2008 vintage)
“Deep crimson colour; must surely have been picked before the heatwave, its medium-bodied frame charged with supple plum, blackberry and black cherry fruit; French oak handling exemplary, as are the tannins. Screwcap.”
James Halliday, Wine Companion website, www.winecompanion.com.au

92/100 points (2008 vintage)
“It’s a serious wine. (…) Very Barossa. Very well put together.”
Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front, www.winefront.com.au

Dandelion Vineyards ‘Lion’s Tooth of McLaren Vale’ Shiraz Riesling

Medal of the Order of Australian Wine (AWOM)
“Dandelion Vineyards may have a label straight out of a grade 6 drawing competition but the sentiment behind the label’s Lion’s Tooth of McLaren Vale 2007 shiraz riesling can’t be faulted: “Lion’s Tooth is a long forgotten but timeless Australian blend rejuvenated.’’ It tastes bloody good, too.”
Jeni Port, The Age, Epicure,  Australia Day, 2010

Top 50 wines (2007 vintage) – Great Australian Shiraz Challenge 2009

Dandelion Vineyards ‘Wishing Clock of the Adelaide Hills’ Sauvignon Blanc

96/100 points (2009 vintage)
“Impressive wine; bell clear varietal expression on both bouquet and palate, and a gloriously supple mouthfeel seamlessly welding tropical and grassy/minerally flavours. Screwcap.”
James Halliday, Wine Companion website, www.winecompanion.com.au

Silver Medal (2009 vintage) - Royal Melbourne Wine Show 2009

Dandelion Vineyards ‘Twighlight of the Adelaide Hills’ Chardonnay

Blue Gold Award, Highly Commended (2009 vintage) - Sydney International Wine Competition 2010

Dandelion Vineyards ‘Pride of the Fleurieu’ Cabernet

Blue Gold Award (2007 vintage) – Sydney International Wine Competition 2010

Dandelion Vineyards ‘Red Queen of the Eden Valley’ Shiraz

Blue Gold Award (2008 vintage) – Sydney International Wine Competition 2010