Hesketh

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 focused on the individual strengths of different South Australian growing regions.

Specific vineyards – Each wine is either made from a single vineyard or sourced from a small selection of specific vineyards in each region. Fruit comes from both our own vineyards in Coonawarra and the Barossa Valley, as well as from specialised local growers.

Winery – Hesketh wines are made at our facility in the Barossa Valley by our winemakers Phil Lehmann and Charlie Ormsby.

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.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’.

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!

A snapshot of our family’s history in the wine industry:

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 and 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 and marketing consulting, which we still provide for selected clients
Our family has been heavily involved in the wine industry for nearly half a century.