In 2018 Alexandra Wardlaw boarded a plane from Paris to Adelaide. Such an intriguing destination, but for a Champagne-born winemaker, the capital of South Australia’s wine country made perfect sense. Alexandra, known affectionately to her peers and colleagues as Alex, came across Kirrihill shortly after. They had advertised for a lab technician and knowing that she could do the job meticulously, as is her way, she came to settle in Clare. Over those years, Alexandra worked her way up the ranks from lab technician to assistant winemaker to winemaker. 

Then in 2023, Alexandra got her big break. All her painstaking hard work, analysis and time would finally come to fruition, she would be able to put her knowledge and experience, theories and parameters into practice. 

See, wine is a result of not one but two factors and neither can exist without the other. First there is the natural element, the agricultural element. The practical part. The vines, the grapes, the harvesters. Then there is the winemaking process. 

The winemaker’s role can start and finish at any point in the process really, but the most involved winemakers, such as Alexandra, begin their contribution in the vineyard from the time the vines have been pruned. Meticulous canopy work to make sure the grapes get enough sun, but not too much that that they burn or ripen too quickly. Selecting the grapes down to the section, the vineyard and row, understanding how the weather elements are affecting the grapes and how that will affect the resultant wine. A colleague used to say that “making riesling is like making wine naked. There’s nowhere to hide.”

Doubters might refer to putting too much effort into an everyday styled product, others would explain it as Alexandra’s intrinsic way and philosophy to be meticulous, accurate and precise. Credit must be given to the other stakeholders that contributed, there were a number of different people supporting her mission along the way in making this outstanding wine. Michelle Morris from Kirribilly Viticulture, owned by Rob Stanway (one of the Kirrihill directors) aided Alexandra through the viticultural process and followed her instruction to the letter. Her colleagues at the winery, including Jon Young the winery manager, who not only covers the operations but mucks in whenever he can, and long-term Kirrihill cellar hands, Pierre and Geoff.

Now, low and behold, this French-born winemaker from Clare turns around and wins not only the Best Riesling at the National Wine Show in Canberra but follows it up with the Best Value White Wine at the Royal Queensland Wine Awards. This combination of accolades shows that not only does Alexandra know how to make great wine but that Kirrihill over delivers on that wine when it’s available in the market. 

And the best bit? The Kirrihill 2023 Regional Riesling is available nationally at Dan Murphys (of of course, through us). If you’re a white wine lover, or a wine lover in general and you want to see how Clare Valley Riesling can be light and bright but without the racy acid that is so often associated with riesling, then head to your local Dans and ask for it by name.

Cheers!