Wirra Wirra buys world-famous Trott Vineyard
Wirra Wirra has bought the acclaimed Trott Vineyard in Blewitt Springs, one of Australia’s most significant and world-renowned Grenache sites, and will work with Thistledown Wines to strengthen its global profile. The agreement brings together Wirra Wirra’s regional leadership with Thistledown’s 13 years of experience crafting internationally acclaimed single-vineyard wines from the site.
The Trott name has long been synonymous with Wirra Wirra. The former owners, Sue and the late Roger Trott, rebuilt Wirra Wirra with Roger’s cousin Greg in 1969. Planted in 1952 on deep Maslin sands, Trott Vineyard is known for Grenache of exceptional perfume, purity and structure. Its reputation was underscored at the 2025 MGA Insurance Group McLaren Vale Wine Show, where the Thistledown 2024 Sands of Time Single Vineyard Blewitt Springs Grenache was named Best Wine of Show, Best Grenache and Best Single Vineyard (non-Shiraz), while long-time custodian Sue Trott received the award for Best Single Vineyard Viticulturist.
Wirra Wirra will assume ownership and management of the vineyard, while Thistledown will continue to purchase half of the fruit under a long-term agreement. Together, the two producers aim to position Trott Vineyard among the world’s leading Grenache terroirs. While current challenges in the wine industry are well publicised, Wirra Wirra is taking a long term, global view of the industry.
“Trott Vineyard is a rare asset in Australian wine,” said Matthew Deller MW, CEO of Wirra Wirra. “Its fruit produces a style of Grenache that stands comfortably alongside the great sites of the world. We are committed to protecting its identity and working with Thistledown, whose achievements with the vineyard have played a vital role in elevating McLaren Vale Grenache internationally.”
“Given the exceptional quality of the fruit, the growing global reputation of McLaren Vale Grenache and the Trott, Wirra Wirra connection, it was an opportunity our family ownership could not let slip by” Matthew said.
Thistledown founder Giles Cooke MW said, “We have made single vineyard wines from Trott for 13 years, and its character defines Sands of Time. Working with Wirra Wirra secures the future of this site and allows us to accelerate its global recognition. Trott Vineyard deserves its place among the world’s leading expressions of Grenache.”
Caption (above): Anton Groffen (Viticulturist), Matthew Deller MW (CEO) and Emma Wood (Chief Winemaker).
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Campbell Mattinson is the founder of The Winefront business and is the former chief editor of Halliday Wine Companion. He’s published five books on wine, four of them bestsellers. He’s the only person to have won the Australian Wine Communicator of the Year Award more than once.
