Wirra Wirra

Wirra Wirra has two foundings, separated by seventy-five years. The original estate was established in 1894 by Robert Strangways Wigley, a former Adelaide cricketer and eccentric Anglo-Irish gentleman who built a substantial ironstone winery on a hillside at McLaren Vale and produced table wines and fortifieds for the Adelaide market. Wigley's reputation was as much for his temperament as his wines; he was widely known for refusing to sell to customers he disliked. After his death in 1924, the winery was sold and gradually fell into disuse, with the ironstone buildings standing roofless and vine-covered for over four decades. In 1969, cousins Greg Trott and Roger Trott purchased the derelict property and began the painstaking restoration of the original Wigley winery, replanting vineyards and constructing modern winemaking facilities adjacent to the heritage ironstone. Greg Trott became the public face and creative spirit of the revived estate, adding the distinctive bluestone tower to the winery, installing Trott's Bell that rings at 6 PM each day, and establishing the famously cantankerous estate character that became a McLaren Vale calling card. Wirra Wirra remained under Trott family stewardship and independent ownership until 2018, when the estate was sold to Australian Wine Holdco; the Trott family ethos and the estate's working practices have continued under the new ownership.

• 1894: Robert Strangways Wigley founded the original Wirra Wirra estate; built substantial ironstone winery on a McLaren Vale hillside
• 1924: Wigley died and the winery was sold; buildings fell into disrepair and stood roofless for over four decades
• 1969: cousins Greg Trott and Roger Trott purchased the derelict property and began restoration of the ironstone winery and vineyards
• Greg Trott led the modern revival, adding the bluestone tower and installing Trott's Bell; family/independent ownership until 2018 sale to Australian Wine Holdco

Greg Trott's eccentric stewardship defined the modern Wirra Wirra identity and remains central to the estate's character. Trott built the distinctive bluestone tower that anchors the winery courtyard, salvaging materials from local heritage buildings and incorporating quirky architectural features that have become signature visual elements of the property. Trott's Bell, mounted in the tower, is rung at 6 PM each day; an inscription describes the bell as a memorial to those who have died in vain, a sentiment that Trott introduced as a meditation on the human cost of war and conflict. Trott's other legacy at Wirra Wirra includes a celebrated collection of working ironstone winemaking equipment, the cellar door's standing tradition of welcoming visitors with idiosyncratic humour, and a portfolio philosophy that married serious old-vine Shiraz and Cabernet with approachable, food-friendly wines. Greg Trott died in 2005, but his presence remains pervasive at the estate: the cellar door, the gardens, the original ironstone winery, and Trott's Bell all carry forward the spirit of the second founder.

• Greg Trott built the distinctive bluestone tower at the winery and salvaged heritage materials from local buildings for incorporation into the estate architecture
• Trott's Bell, rung daily at 6 PM, inscribed as a memorial to those who have died in vain; sentiment introduced by Trott as a meditation on the cost of war
• Greg Trott died 2005; cellar door, original ironstone winery, gardens, and the bell remain central to Wirra Wirra's daily visitor experience and brand identity
• Trott's working collection of ironstone winemaking equipment preserved on site; cellar door tradition of welcoming visitors with idiosyncratic humour continues

Wirra Wirra controls estate vineyards across McLaren Vale and Adelaide Hills, with key holdings including the original Wirra Wirra home vineyard (Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, and Grenache), the Church Block vineyard (the source of the long-running Bordeaux-style blend), and the Angelus single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon block at McLaren Flat. The estate's home vineyards sit on rolling McLaren Vale slopes with characteristic ironstone-rich red and grey soils over limestone substrate, which lend structural minerality to the wines. Cabernet Sauvignon plantings include both pre-1980 and 1990s vintage blocks, with the Angelus block widely regarded as one of McLaren Vale's most distinguished Cabernet sources. Wirra Wirra is a signatory of the McLaren Vale Old Vine Charter and applies sustainable viticulture practices including cover cropping, integrated pest management, and water-efficient drip irrigation. The estate also owns a substantial Adelaide Hills holding at Lenswood, source of cool-climate Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Chardonnay components.

• Estate vineyards in McLaren Vale (home block, Church Block) and Adelaide Hills (Lenswood for cool-climate whites); key holdings on characteristic ironstone-rich red soils over limestone
• Angelus Cabernet Sauvignon block at McLaren Flat widely regarded as one of McLaren Vale's most distinguished single-vineyard Cabernet sites
• Signatory of the McLaren Vale Old Vine Charter; sustainable viticulture with cover crops, integrated pest management, and water-efficient drip irrigation
• Lenswood Adelaide Hills holding supplies Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Chardonnay components for the cool-climate white tier

Wirra Wirra's portfolio is anchored by structured McLaren Vale reds executed with rigour and a deliberate balance between fruit intensity and architectural framing. The flagship RSW Shiraz, launched with the 1992 vintage and named for Robert Strangways Wigley, draws from old-vine McLaren Vale Shiraz blocks and ages in French oak for typically 18 to 22 months. RSW is widely cited among McLaren Vale's most age-worthy Shiraz expressions and has appeared in Langton's Classification of Australian Wine since the third edition. The Church Block Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz Merlot Bordeaux-style blend has been the estate's flagship commercial wine for over fifty years and is one of Australia's most consistently respected mid-tier red blends, offering structure and approachability at a price point well below the premium tier. The Angelus single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced from the McLaren Flat block, is the estate's premium Cabernet expression: structured, savoury, and built for two decades of cellaring. Other portfolio wines include the Original Blend Grenache Shiraz, the Mrs Wigley Moscato (a sweet, low-alcohol white named for the founder's wife), the Hiding Champion Sauvignon Blanc, and the Catapult Shiraz. The Wirra Wirra house style across reds emphasises structured tannin, savoury graphite and herbal complexity, and aromatic precision over jammy ripeness.

• RSW Shiraz (flagship, launched 1992): old-vine McLaren Vale Shiraz, 18-22 months French oak; Langton's Classification listed; one of McLaren Vale's most age-worthy Shiraz expressions
• Church Block Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz Merlot Bordeaux-style blend: estate's signature commercial wine for over five decades; one of Australia's most consistent mid-tier red blends
• The Angelus single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (McLaren Flat block): premium Cabernet expression; structured, savoury, built for two decades of cellaring
• Original Blend Grenache Shiraz, Mrs Wigley Moscato, Hiding Champion Sauvignon Blanc, Catapult Shiraz round out the broader portfolio; house style favours structure over jammy ripeness

Wirra Wirra entered a new chapter in 2018 when the Trott family sold the estate to Australian Wine Holdco, a domestic wine industry investment vehicle. The sale ended nearly fifty years of independent family ownership but preserved the Wirra Wirra brand, McLaren Vale base, and core winemaking team. Under the new ownership structure, chief winemaker Paul Smith has continued to drive the estate's red wine direction, with a particular focus on refining the RSW Shiraz programme and expanding the single-vineyard Cabernet portfolio. The estate's cellar door remains one of McLaren Vale's most-visited destinations, with the original ironstone winery and Trott's Bell continuing to define the visitor experience. Wirra Wirra exports to over 35 countries and remains one of the most consistently respected McLaren Vale brands in the international fine wine market. The estate's commercial success rests heavily on the Church Block blend, which moves substantial volume in Australia and key export markets, while the RSW Shiraz and Angelus Cabernet anchor the premium tier reputation. The estate's continued ringing of Trott's Bell at 6 PM each day, more than two decades after Greg Trott's death, has become a symbol of continuity through ownership change.

• 2018: Trott family sold to Australian Wine Holdco; nearly five decades of independent family ownership ended but Wirra Wirra brand and McLaren Vale base preserved
• Chief winemaker Paul Smith continued to drive the red wine programme under new ownership; refined RSW Shiraz and expanded single-vineyard Cabernet portfolio
• Exports to over 35 countries; cellar door remains among McLaren Vale's most-visited destinations with original ironstone winery and Trott's Bell central to the experience
• Daily ringing of Trott's Bell at 6 PM continues over two decades after Greg Trott's death; a symbol of continuity through ownership change