Three minutes with Inga Lidums of Lobethal Road Wines
Lobethal Road Wines co-owner Inga Lidums welcomes SALIFE into The Garden Room – a boutique new dining space where award-winning wines are paired with seasonal cuisine, surrounded by the garden and vineyards.
Ben Tell me about life before you met your husband (viticulturist Dave Neyle) and then together founded Lobethal Road Wines?
Inga I’m Adelaide born and bred and worked in the graphic design industry for many years, both here and interstate. Growing up, my parents owned an art gallery and were always entertaining. My father was from Latvia in northern Europe, and wine was very much part of the shared-table approach to life. Family gatherings were always about food and wine.
Ben How did you meet Dave?
Inga I’d returned from living in Sydney and had bought a place in the Adelaide Hills. I was drinking Dave’s shiraz at a local pub and, because it was so good, decided to find the place that made it. The rest is history! I eventually gave up my career in graphic design to work full-time with Dave on the wine business and have never been busier.
Ben When did you establish Lobethal Road Wines?
Inga There was no vineyard here when Dave bought the land 27 years ago, it was just a paddock for grazing dairy cows. So, it’s been a labour of love from the beginning – planting the first vines, making the first wines and opening our rustic cellar door in the barrel shed in 2009. Today, the entire site of the Mount Torrens vineyard and cellar door operates off the grid, which reflects our environmentally sustainable approach to vineyard management.
Ben Your new Garden Room has a European feel. How did that come about?
Inga The Garden Room extends the European barn feel of the main cellar door building, which is timber-framed mud brick and employs eco-friendly principles. The massive timber frame is a feature and is crafted from sustainably sourced cypress pine using traditional techniques. The rest of the room is all about the view, with walls of windows overlooking the gardens and vineyard. Seating up to 30 people, it’s a lovely space in spring and summer when we open the windows and let the breeze waft through, as well as in the cooler months when you can get cosy by the wood fire.
Ben Tell me about your food offering.
Inga Our chef Jeff Trotter offers a seasonal menu, designed to share, featuring local Hills produce. Or you can select his famous Feed Me lunch option on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and public holidays – perfect if there are a few of you. The menu is small, constantly changing and features daily specials so every weekend there’s something new.
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Ben Are you hands-on in the vineyard?
Inga When I first met Dave, I was determined to learn as much as possible about working in the vineyard, while also juggling my design business. So, I’d help him on weekends with planting and training vines, picking, pruning and anything else that needed to be done. Now, I’m busy with other aspects of the wine business including the cellar door.
Ben Tell me about the garden.
Inga Our garden has evolved over time with a mixture of natives and exotics, plus a veggie patch out the back. My brother’s a heritage stonemason and he built our beautiful garden walls, which separate the different garden spaces. For the Garden Room courtyard, we sought the advice of landscape designer David Burnett who created a master plan for us and continues to provide guidance.
Ben Are you working on any new projects?
Inga There’s always something happening – new vintage wines to release, new menus and events at the cellar door. Late last year we released a special 100-per-cent barrel-fermented pinot gris – a small quantity was made and is only available at the cellar door. It’s delicious! This year we’ll be releasing two new wines under a new label which will feature small batch wines from other wine regions. All these wines will be available to try at the cellar door or enjoy with lunch in the Garden Room.
This article first appeared in the April 2025 issue of SALIFE Magazine.
