The Hesketh Wine Company is a small, family owned producer of high quality, yet accessible wines. We work with our own growers and process our own wines like traditional wineries. But rather than attempt to be all things to all people from one region, our approach is to remain focussed on the strengths of each growing region.

Specific vineyards – Each wine is either single vineyard or sourced from a small selection of specific vineyards in each region. Fruit comes from specialised local growers, and the wines are made to retain a sense of place.

Local processing – Each wine is made at local facilities as close as possible to the vineyards for reasons of both quality and practicality.

House style – Wines are made to a ‘Hesketh’ style, which is based on balance and complexity but more importantly, ‘drinkability’. Wines with generous flavours and aromatics, which also retain a sense of place – wines which reflect the vineyards they are grown in.

International approach – fruit sourcing focuses on South Australia’s premium growing regions, but also extends beyond the shores of Australia. This reflects the way our family has always operated. The result is not only a range of wines from familiar varietals and regions, but also some new and exotic wines to help broaden our horizons and keep the knife sharp.

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Trisha – Born in Northern Ireland to Joe and Eleanor, with one older brother Sean. Family emigrated to Melbourne when she was three. Worked in fashion with Perri Cutten before flying for Ansett for 12 years. Gave up flying after child number three. In between times has manned the Cellar Door in McLaren Vale and has worked in PR in New Zealand. Often referred to as ‘The Dish’. More accurately as the brains, the common sense and the glue to the Hesketh tribe, with an uncanny ability to multi-task. (A gene that other members of the family missed out on.)

Jonathon – Born and raised in Adelaide to Shirley and Robert. Spent a year in Burgundy with family when 9 and returned speaking English with a French accent. Finished school (just) and after another year in France working on the family’s vineyard project, returned home to spend eight years learning alternative vocations in Export Trading and FMCG. Forever grateful to late and great Greg Trott (Proprietor of Wirra Wirra Vineyards in McLaren Vale) for an entry back into the wine industry. Followed nearly seven years at Wirra Wirra with a stint in New Zealand on the distribution side of the wine business, running Lion Nathan’s Distinguished Vineyards. Realising long ago that working for the man was never going to feed a permanently hungry dog, four children, two cats, four chickens and an ever-so-patient wife, the family returned to Adelaide in early 2006 to establish the Hesketh Wine Company.

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Our family has been heavily involved in the wine industry for nearly half a century.

Through patriarch Robert it was instilled in us from a very early age that the wine industry was global – and that it was also very small. As a result we’ve worked and/or lived in growing regions all over the world. From Burgundy & the South of France, to the UK & North America and throughout Australia & New Zealand.

Robert’s second mantra was to avoid convention. As a result, he influenced the industry by doing things differently and by following ‘the path less travelled by’. A snapshot of our family’s history in the wine industry is as follows;

• Pioneering new world viticulture in Southern France, and development of the James Herrick brand in the UK.
• Pioneering exports and marketing of Australian wines in the USA through the Mark Swann / Roo’s Leap brands in the early 80’s.
• Introduction of membrane filtration technology to the Australian wine industry in the 70’s.
• Engineering the saviour of Barossa grape growers in the late 70’s with Peter Lehmann.
• Promoting and selling Australian wines around the globe in the 90’s.
• Development of the Bordertown wine growing region in South Australia with CuppaCup vineyards.
• Facilitating wine business sales & acquisitions.
• Building fine-wine distribution platforms in NZ.
• Founding wine industry publications (The Australian & NZ Wine Industry Directory and Wine Industry Journal.)
• Shaping wine industry politics in the 80’s – Robert was the founding chairman of the Australian Wine & Brandy Corporation.
• Specialist wine business & marketing consulting, which we still do for selected clients.

Fifty odd years is not necessarily a long time in the wine industry. But as a great friend once pointed out; It’s not how old you are, but the miles you’ve done!

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