Our Story

Dandelion Vineyards Is A Unique Fusion Of Vineyards And Vignerons.

About Us

Our wines represent decades of experience, blending the fruit of our heirloom vineyards with the finest traditions of artisan winemaking. Dandelion Vineyards is a combination of old vineyards, a young winemaker, and a couple of mates to help out in-between, which we believe makes for the ideal winery.

Our Founder And Winemaker, Elena Brooks

As a young girl in Bulgaria, Elena’s mother worked in a winery. The demise of the Soviet Republic opened the door to an influx of westerners interested in the age-old history of wine making in these former states. Many Australians visited and stayed at the winery and as the only one able to speak English, Elena started helping translate after school. By the age of 12, she was interpreting barrel tastings with the winemakers. By the age of 15, she had the wine knowledge and vocabulary of a veteran, and by 16 she was making her first batches of Chardonnay.

After study she ventured and worked in many amazing wine regions of the world, and has now settled with husband and two children in McLaren Vale. With the myriad of award winning wines she now makes under Dandelion Vineyards, Elena is recognised as one of Australia’s brightest stars with her latest accolade, being crowned as Bushing Queen, at the McLaren Vale wine show 2021, for the Lion’s Tooth of McLaren Vale Shiraz Riesling.

"At Dandelion Vineyards, we believe that great wine is made in the vineyard. We carefully tend to our vines, handpicking only the finest grapes to craft our distinctive wines that capture the essence of our unique terroir. Each bottle is a true labor of love, a testament to our unwavering commitment to quality and our passion for winemaking. We invite you to experience the pure, authentic flavors of our wines and discover the magic of Dandelion Vineyards."

~ Elena Brooks

Our Label

The eponymous flower is the obvious choice for this winery’s labels, but the icon is elevated through beautiful design. Against a clean, white background the stylised whimsy of the dandelion seeds seemingly float from the label in 3D effect with puffs of the ‘wishing clock’ flying up to the cap. It’s deceptively simple, yet detailed, and reflects the plant that flowers throughout the owners’ vineyards that are ‘spread like a dandelion’ through different regions from Lake Alexandrina to Eden Valley.

Five Red Star Winery

"This is a highly impressive partnership... 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.”

James Halliday, 2021 Australian Wine Companion