Tilbrook Estate
Tilbrook Estate
Tilbrook Estate
There’s a sense of weariness and relief as James Tilbrook surveys the vineyards of Tilbrook Estate. They are finally beginning to flourish again, after being decimated in the Cudlee Creek bushfires of late 2019. His long-time dream of an environmentally conscious cellar door was put on pause as he focused on the more pressing need to rebuild. It took a while but, in December 2022, Tilbrook’s dream of a conscious cellar door finally came to fruition.
“Sustainability has been one of my passions for as long as I can remember,” Tilbrook tells Broadsheet. “My parents were into looking after wildlife. They weren’t “greenies” per se but I think they were probably one of the first people to have to have energy-conserving hot water services in the UK, they were members of the World Wildlife Fund … so I was brought up learning about those principles.”
When it came to building the eco-friendly cellar door, Tilbrook was all-in. Perched atop a hill and beyond a glistening white pebble driveway, the cellar door space is an achievement from both an aesthetic and an environmental perspective. A high timber ceiling is supported by recycled concrete walls, while double-glazed windows draw your gaze to the estate’s vineyards and the rolling hills of Lobethal that unfurl before you.
As the cellar door neared completion, a stroke of good fortune came Tilbrook’s way; he was contacted by Enrico Sgarbossa, award-winning pizza chef and flour technician. After spending five years moulding Sydney’s Al Taglio into one of the best pizzerias in Australia, Sgarbossa and his wife sold the restaurant, and moved to Mount Barker in search of some much-needed rest and a new culinary challenge.
“As soon as my wife and I arrived in the Hills, we were like, “Wow”,” Sgarbossa tells Broadsheet. “It reminded me so much of my home in Italy. I discovered the unique way of presenting food that wineries have here.”
After taking a year to relax and explore his new home, Sgarbossa began emailing wineries that he might want to work with. When he got in contact with Tilbrook – who shared his vision for sustainable gastronomy – the connection was instant. They started trading a month later.
The dining experience that Sgarbossa has crafted at Tilbrook Estate could be classed as “refined casual”. It’s not uptight by any means, but it’s not catering to crowds of 20-somethings darting in and out minibuses looking to get drunk. The menu is pared down, with the handful of pizzas a clear focal point. Sgarbossa’s decades of training do not go untapped; the pizzas are delicious, the dough impossibly light with the perfect amount of crunch, and a tomato sauce that is sweet and bursting with flavour.
Some of your classic pizza flavours are here, but they are occasionally enhanced by an unexpected ingredient. There’s a margherita with a fresh basil emulsion (also available as vegan); thinly sliced potatoes on a pesto base paired with camembert cheese; and a diavola set ablaze with Japanese chillies. An early favourite with both patrons and Sgarbossa himself is the amatriciana pizza topped with sugo di pomodoro, fior di latte, pecorino cheese, pancetta, chilli and black pepper. Each pizza is also listed with a recommended wine pairing from Tilbrook’s Hope range.
The sourdough focaccia is another standout (served with either native Australian kunzea leaf or mortadella mousse), with the menu rounded out with rotating pasta specials and salad offerings.
Tilbrook Estate
1856 Lobethal Rd, Lobethal
Hours:
Fri to Sun 11:30am–5pm
tilbrookestate.com.au
@tilbrookestate
19 Jul 2023
18 Jul 2023
12 Jul 2023
10 Jul 2023