On The Map

Wirra Wirra Vineyards’ CEO Andrew Kay Is Not Only Dedicated To Making Award-winning Wine, He’s Also Making Sure Every Bottle Breathes Fun.

- Wendy Kay

When prompted to elaborate on exactly how unique the culture of South Australia’s Wirra Wirra winery is, CEO Andrew Kay hesitates. Not because he’s unsure – he knows it’s different, the word tribe is mentioned often – but where do you start? Is it the hurling of watermelons from a medieval trebuchet? Or perhaps the donning of inflatable horse costumes and prancing around an imaginary Melbourne Cup track? Then there’s the bell ringing; a three-quarter tonne Angelus bell bonged across the vale, thanks to the gusto applied at the end of its rope.

Of course, you could keep it simple and just enjoy shiraz matched with handcrafted local chocolates, or quaff the infamous cabernet, shiraz and merlot blend, Church Block – arguably the winery’s signature tipple for nearly half a century.

It’s hard to determine with Andrew at the helm. “Anyone who spends time working here becomes part of the Wirra Wirra tribe. The culture of the place is special, and attracts people who not only love wine but also see life a little bit differently. There’s a sense of celebration and inclusiveness where people treat the place as if it’s their own. They tend to stay, become part of the place and make it their home.”

Evidently, they do, with a quarter of the ‘tribe’ having offered 10 or more years of service and another 15 percent catching up with more than five years under their belts.

Wirra Wirra, about 40 minutes south of Adelaide, is deep in the heart of South Australia’s wine region in McLaren Vale, where grapes are used to craft the winery’s award-winning reds. The cooler climes of the Adelaide Hills produce the company’s whites, including sauvignon blanc, riesling and chardonnay.