Formula 1 superstar Valtteri Bottas and cyclist Tiffany Cromwell put down permanent roots in SA
He might drive for Cadillac on the Formula 1 circuit, but it’s McLaren Vale that’s captured Valtteri Bottas’ heart.
And when we say he’s fallen for the region, we mean it. The pair holiday here every year, he calls it one of the most beautiful places in the world, and he even stamped his name on a McLaren Vale red.
Now, he’s put down permanent roots. The Finnish 10-time Grand Prix winner and his partner, professional cyclist Tiffany Cromwell, have officially bought The Vineyard McLaren Vale, a luxury retreat set on a 15-acre working vineyard framed by rolling hills and wide-open views of the Fleurieu Peninsula. The property includes six boutique guest houses, an in-ground pool, and a contemporary main residence.
Image: The Vineyard McLaren Vale
Image: The Vineyard McLaren Vale
Cromwell may be the Adelaide local, but it was Bottas who became besotted with the region (no small feat for someone who spends most of his life travelling the globe.) The couple will make the main house their base whenever they’re in South Australia, but if he has it his way, it’ll become a permanent home when they retire. The remaining guest houses will continue to be available for visitors.
Bottas’ connection to McLaren Vale began in 2020, when bushfires cancelled a Kangaroo Island trip and a last-minute search brought him and Cromwell to the retreat. Since then, the vineyards, the coastal air and of course the wine have lured him in. He is particularly partial to the region’s famed red varietals – especially Shiraz – and even collaborated with Oliver’s Taranga on the IHANA Edition #2 release earlier this year.
The love for the area extends even further. The pair are also behind RADL GRVL, South Australia’s flagship gravel-riding event and part of the global GRVL series. Co-founded with American cyclist Amy Charity, the event returns during the Tour Down Under this January with new routes across the Fleurieu, including a fresh climb up Kings Hill Road just outside Willunga.
The 2026 edition expands to three courses – 34km, 64km, and 126km – with an e-bike-friendly option to welcome riders of all abilities.
“I’ve enjoyed some very memorable gravel rides around Adelaide and McLaren Vale over the last few years, so when the opportunity arose to bring an event to the area, I was fully committed,” Bottas told Glam Adelaide last year.
They hope the extended courses will help introduce the region to even more people.
Between the cycling, the wine, and now their own property, Bottas and Cromwell are fast becoming two of South Australia’s most unexpected global ambassadors. They’ve raced on some of the world’s greatest circuits and roads, but it seems McLaren Vale is the finish line they were always meant to cross. And if there’s one thing we can say to the power pair, it’s that they have impeccable taste.
Exact details on how they plan to personalise The Vineyard are still under wraps
Valtteri Bottas and Tiffany Cromwell purchase The Vineyard McLaren Vale
To browse the luxury Airbnb property, click here.
