Our Story
When we began the Hesketh Wines journey in 2006, we started with virtually nothing. We had no choice but to operate as a ‘Negociant’, relying on a tight set of supportive growers to grow our fruit and friends with wineries to do the winemaking on our behalf.
This worked well enough until 2012 when we really hocked ourselves, took a stupid risk, and purchased Parker Coonawarra Estate. At that point, everything came in-house and we’ve been in full control of our winemaking (but not much else) ever since. The beauty of being part of a wider business in the background is the quality of both winemakers and viticultural resource we have at our disposal.
Trish Hesketh, Jonathon Hesketh & Andrew Hardy
Luke Broadbent & Keeda Zilm
Keeda Zilm, Andrew Hardy & Luke Broadbent
Grape Whisperers
We’re incredibly fortunate to have a winemaking team of the calibre of Keeda, Andrew and Luke, who have over 70 years of experience between them. Working with fruit from our own vineyards and that of our specialist growers, they craft sophisticated and delicious cool climate wines that reflect our family’s winemaking style and ethos. Aside from the privilege of working with great people, we also have beautiful fruit sources to work with. The Parker Estate Abbey Vineyard in Coonawarra, the Barratt Uley Vineyard in the Piccadilly Valley as well as our network of specialist growers in the Adelaide Hills, Limestone Coast, Clare & Barossa Valleys.
It takes a whole village to grow a wine, and a lot of blood, sweat, tears and passion goes into every bottle.
Jonathon Hesketh
Principal Debt Holder
After being raised in the Wine Industry, I ran away from it for a period of time to do my own thing – I felt the need to find my own way, but this only proved how much I loved the wine business. I was then lucky enough to be given an opportunity back in wine by Greg Trott at Wirra Wirra Vineyards, and then spent time on the corporate side of the business in Auckland.
We soon worked out that working for the man was never going to feed two dogs, four children, two cats, four chickens and an ever-so-patient wife – so Trish and I packed up the family and returned to Adelaide in early 2006 and with some limited savings, founded the Hesketh Wine Company. Nearly two decades in and we’re still bleeding from the eyeballs with debt, but we’re still here and enjoying the journey, and are incredibly grateful for it!
Trish Hesketh
Chief Task Juggler & Binding Agent
Born in Northern Ireland to Joe and Eleanor, with one older brother Sean, Trish emigrated with her family to Melbourne when she was just three. After working in fashion with Perri Cutten she flew for Ansett for twelve years, only calling it quits after child number three. In between times Trish has manned the Cellar Door in McLaren Vale and worked in PR in New Zealand.
Often referred to as ‘The Dish’, but 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).
