The Hesketh Wine Company is a small, family owned producer of high quality, yet accessible wines. 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 by Tom Hesketh 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 taste of where they come from.
International approach – fruit sourcing extends beyond the shores of Australia to reflect the way the Hesketh Family has always operated. Quite simply, because we can! 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.
Jonathon & Trish Hesketh
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.)
JH - Born and raised in Adelaide to Shirley and Robert. Spent a year in Burgundy with family when 9, including older brother Tom (winemaker) and sister Pru. 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 8 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 this 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 Beagle, four children, one cat and an ever-so-patient wife, the family returned from Auckland to Adelaide in early 2006 to establish the Hesketh Wine Company.
Hesketh Family & The Global Wine Industry
Our family has been heavily involved in the wine industry for nearly half a century. Winemaker brother Tom (left), JSH (middle) and father Robert on the right.
Through my father 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. My father'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 what we've been involved in as a family (by in large due to RWCH) 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. - Engineering wine business sales & acquisitions. - Pioneering internet wine sales in Australia. - Building fine-wine distribution business in NZ. - Founding wine industry publications (The Australian & NZ Wine Industry Directory and Wine Industry Journal.) - Shaping wine industry politics in the 80’s - RWCH was the founding chairman of the Australian Wine & Brandy Corporation. - There's more.. The point of this is not to blow any trumpets, but to demonstrate that we’ve been around for a while – that we're not fly-by-nighters slapping labels on bottles.
Hesketh Family - The Next Generation
From left to right, Jack 15, Ben 9, Angus 12 & Maddy 5.