DILIP KUMAR THE TOAST OF THE HUNTER VALLEY WINE INDUSTRY – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE – DIMBULLA RATED THE BEST SHIRAZ – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE
Source: Maitland Mercury
SEEING RED: Dilip Kumar whose Dimbulla tempranillo shiraz caused a stir when it was named top red in the recent Hunter Valley Wine Show.
Dilip Kumar is a man with the Midas touch. Most of what he sets out in to do in life usually ends up with people sitting up and taking notice.
The multi franchise owner of car dealerships in Bankstown New South Wales and its surrounds, and other business interests, have propelled this clever man with exemplary business acumen to one of the most respected men in Australia.
And to add to the many accolades he has achieved in various fields of life he is now the proud winner of the best Shiraz from the famous Hunter Valley despite running a comparatively small production line when compared with Australia’s largest wine manufacturers in the region.
Dilip Kumar, despite his preference to stay low profile, has commanded the respect of people in many walks of life. He was the first Sri Lankan born to head the Australian Rugby Union as its Chairman and mixed his ideas with the likes of former outstanding Wallabies coach Bob Dwyer in trying to create a level playing field for all rugby playing nations in the world by introducing competitions with weight restriction.
Always looking at innovation for success is what has landed this enterprising entrepreneur the success he has achieved in his adventure with wine making.
A former old boy of prestigious Trinity College, Kandy in Sri Lanka, Kumar was also an outstanding rugby player for his school.
His success at the Hunter Valley Wine Show shocked all including himself. But that winning drop could well be the start of a fantastic foray for more innovation and newer flavours to suit the individual palate.
The Maitland Mercury had this review on Dilip Kumar’s success.
Chances are you haven’t heard of Dimbulla wines. Don’t worry, until recently a lot of Hunter Valley wine people probably hadn’t either.
But they do now.
Located in the “back blocks” at the far northern end of wine country, this tiny operation with a very low profile stunned the industry when they were awarded best overall red wine at the recent Hunter Valley Wine Show.
Not only that, but in territory where Shiraz is the undisputed red wine king, they did it with a blend made up mostly (75 per cent) of the Mediterranean varietal tempranillo, and the remainder shiraz.
And at a modest $25 a bottle at that. Talk about put the cat amongst the pigeons.
Sri Lankan-born Sydney businessman Dilip Kumar is the man behind Dimbulla which, incidentally, is a tea growing region in the highlands of Sri Lanka where he was born.
“It was a big surprise,” he admits. “I knew it was a good wine, but it’s the first blend to win the trophy, so I was shocked. I thought we might be a chance for a trophy, but not wine of show.”
It should be pointed out that Kumar is an overachiever – owner of the highly successful Peninsula Motor Group, a former chairman of the Australian Rugby Union – and money is not something he needs to worry about.
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“Wine is my passion, I’m not in it to make money. Rugby and wine are my passion, although I love a good quality tea too,” he says.
“I’m fortunate that I have a few thousand good bottles at home, so I know good wine and I knew what I wanted at Dimbulla. And we’re making some impressive wines, let me tell you. Not just the reds, our semillon is serious quality too. But having said that, we are low profile and that’s how I like it.”
Kumar’s goal was a lighter bodied, soft, easy drinking red. The plan to blend tempranillo and shiraz was his idea, and it’s fair to say those around him weren’t convinced.
“I like tempranillo anyway, but it also has the benefit of ripening early, sometimes up to four weeks earlier than shiraz,” he said. “We can have
problems in the Hunter with rain falling at harvest time, so this was a way to help overcome that.”
So, does the fact that his set-up is so off the beaten track affect business?
“I like my privacy, and don’t want to change that. Besides, our neighbours are also picking up gold medals for their wines so I think we might have a nice little patch of ground there.”
The big question: if I placed a glass of red wine in front of you, and a cup of top Sri Lankan tea, which would you go for first?
“That would depend on the time, but if it’s anywhere near sunset, I know what it would be,” he says with a laugh.
