First vintages saw amazing results with Gold Medals and Trophies for both varieties. 1985 created a lot of excitement – the Pinot Noir won a major Gold Medal, and subsequently the 1985 Chardonnay won Australia’s richest wine prize for Western Australia’s Best Table Wine - an all expenses paid trip to France’s famous wine regions! Subsequently over fifty Gold and Trophies have been received by this boutique winery to date, both domestically and Internationally.

Wignalls believe that localised conditions or terroir is the main reason for the numerous successes. Perfect attention to detail, with a sophisticated trellis system to maximise sunlight access and air circulation, greatly assist with vineyard growing practices. Pruning (June to July) and picking (March to April) is by hand, thus the wine is as natural and clean as is possible. Wignalls have had a strict policy of not spraying pesticides since 1988 and work on a permaculture system, the vineyard works with mother nature and not against her.

In 1997 the Wignall family decided to erect a modern winery on the vineyard to maximise the benefits of the superior grapes they were growing each and every year. The move proved to be a wise one, crystallizing the returns for this family operated boutique winery. Robert and Claire Wignall took up the sucession of Wignalls stewardship over parents Dr Bill and Pat Wignall. A new era in winemaking heralded a major upgrade of the Wignalls label, and the opportunity to introduce some exciting new releases.

Wignalls has branched out with popular styles, an Unwooded Chardonnay and Cabernet Merlot to suit everyday tastes, contemporarily styled wines to compliment the range of super premiums. Development of the Albany vineyard has proceeded steadily with approximately 35,000 vines or 22 hectares in loving care. Whilst seeking to accomodate modern tastes, the estate will only ever produce straight varietal wines, as it has no intention of ever making a classic white or red blend.

Wignalls have won more gold and trophies than there is room to mention. In 1990 the estate Pinot Noir claimed Chairman’s Award for Western Australia’s Best Individual Wine Sheraton, Perth WA Wine Awards, and SGIO’s Travel Award (North America) for Western Australia’s Best Table Wine, and again in 1991. In 1992 the Chardonnay claimed Champion Dry White Table Wine Australian Small Winemakers Show. Wignalls 1993 Pinot Noir came into folk lore as the wine that won Gold in every show shown around Australia except Perth. In 1994 Wignalls was awarded Trophy at the Perth Sheraton Wine Awards by Len Evans. In 1998 the Chardonnay was awarded Highest Gold Medal (in the world) and Best Australian White Wine at the Japan International Wine Challenge.

The vineyard and winery are situated in Heathcote, and due to the close proximity of the Graytown Box-Ironbark State forest, it is common to find all manner of native animals amongst the vines, including kangaroos, wallabies, emus, lizards and echidnas. The vineyard is non-irrigated and deliberatley kept to a low yield ensuring the berries are smaller and more intense in colour and flavour. A number of varieties are gronw including Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling, Merlot and Roussane, with the Shiraz vines dating back over 45 years. The soil consists of a sandy loam and gravel topsoil with a crushed quartz and red ironstone buckshot gravel underlay which makes for excellent drainage.

Traditional methods are used to manage the vineyard with the grapes being carefully handpicked, and the vines painstakingly hand pruned. Conscious of their impact on the environment and wine, no herbicides or pesticides are used in the vineyard, instead organic fertilisers are used to provide the vines with nutrients. The winemaking is also a hands on affair with winemaker Paul Osicka personally implementing each stage of the process. Extensive use is made of new oak barrels in the maturatin of the wines, and is an expensive although important part of the quality process.

Simon literally grew up surrounded by full-bodied, red wines produced at his family's Majors Creek Vineyard, today known as Paul Osicka Wines. Not surprisingly, for someone immersed in wine from birth, Simon didn't just complete his Bachelor of Agricultural Science (Oenology) at University of Adelaide in 1997: he graduated with first-class honours.

Following cellar-hand work and two overseas vintages in Canada and Italy, he joined Houghton Wine Company in 1999 as Assistant Winemaker at the company's Swan Valley site. At Hougton he gained immeasurable experience producing prestige red wines under the Gladstones and Jack Mann labels.

The following year, Simon was promoted to Winemaker and completed a second 1999 vintage in Sicily at Casa Vincolia Calatrasi. Returning to Houghton, he transferred to Nannup in 2001 and worked with the Senior Winemaker Manager, Gretel Friend, to complete the site's inaugural vintage. As the most technologically-advanced winery in the region, it provided both enormous opportunities and challenges. Within seven months, Simon was promoted as the site's Senior Winemaker Manager. In late 2005, Simon went to Leasingham as Winemaker Manager and is now responsible for the day-to-day workings. Simon has judged at both the Mount Barker Wine Show and West Australian Wine Awards.

Care and attention are the hallmarks of life at Oxford Landing. Many of the people who work here also live here, it's home. They're what we like to call real people, genuine, down-to-earth individuals who are unashamedly passionate about this special place and the grapes it produces. Bill Wilksch is a good example. A local lad, he first came to Oxford Landing in 1965 to pick grapes for a day and make some pocket money. Thirty years on, Bill is Vineyard Manager at Oxford Landing. "I just took a liking to the place," he says with typical understatement. "Out here in the bush, we can grow grapes with great flavour and intensity. It's simple - great grapes make great wines."

Block by block, individual care and attention in the vineyard leads to individual wines. The consistently high quality of Oxford Landing wines stems from the time and attention devoted to the vineyard. This begins with the care and attention devoted to the 650 acre vineyard - it is managed and nurtured as 130 separate 5 acre blocks where the focus is on individual block conditions.

Vineyard Manager, Bill Wilksch and his team use many small vineyard techniques that are more common in a boutique winery, such as detailed pruning, canopy management and crop thinning, for improved flavour intensity. This detailed vine husbandry enables the creation of micro-climates within the blocks suited to each of the different grape varieties needs. Winemaker Teresa Heuzenroeder explains, "It's in the vineyard where the winemaking process begins. You need to have a feel for the place and know the blocks very well to get the best out of them."

Teresa and Bill work together all the time to ensure the end-result is as they envisaged. As Bill says "it's a real team effort… Our group of dedicated vineyard staff lives on site and nearby, creating a strong community. They’re always near at hand and willing to pitch in when needed and it is their care and attention that sets the basis for the Oxford Landing quality of wine."

The Murray River, one of the world's great rivers, creates an idyllic site. The Murray begins its journey in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales, and winds its way over more than 2,500 kilometres to its mouth just south of Adelaide. Bordered by towering River Red Gums, historic towns and heritage walking trails, the Murray is home to hundreds of species of bird and animal life. Water management is one of the factors critical to achieving wine quality in the Riverland region where the summer heat can be strong and the soils vary from very deep sand to rocky limestone. At Oxford Landing rainfall is especially low which is why the vineyard is so reliant on the water the Murray supplies. Being able to draw Murray River water sparingly is not only kind to the environment but also encourages intense flavour development in our grapes and gives us total control over quality.

Wild Fox are sourced from grapes grown to the cleanest vineyards under true practices and guidlines of certification. The estate vineyard has been organic since 1998 and is A Grade Certified in organics and biodynamics by the Biological Farmers of Australia. Motivating factors are twofold, caring for the health of the soil and caring for the long term health and sustainability of the environment, achieved only through sustainable Organic and Biodynamic farming practices. There are many articles on the benefits of Organic and bio-dynamic farming. Certification of Organic Wines is by adherence not only to a chemical free vineyard, but also in the winemaking and bottling of the wine. The vineyard, winery and even bottling premises need to adhere to strict certification criteria.

The vines are irrigated by natural water from the aquifers below, loamy soils, mediteranean style climate and natural practices formulate conditions to achieve high quality grapes. Wild Fox Wines enjoy status as one of the state's longest certifed and premium organic vineyards.

Canopies covering the hand pruned vines are managed to capture the sun's health giving rays while protecting fruit from spring and summer mildews and rusts. During the summer, vines are watered by drip irrigation from the natural underground aquifers.

Soils are cared for by growing cover crops in the mid rows to not only suppress weeds but to layer a mulch with slashing and rolling. This practice conserves moisture in the heat of the summer and also protects the activity of the soil's micro organisms. These practices have been supervised and documented by researcher, Chris Penfold of Adelaide University's Roseworthy Campus.

Grapes bursting with flavour and energy are the rewards of low yielding vines in a carefully managed natural environment. At the winery, strict documentation is followed to ensure protection of the certified product in meeting the criteria for Australian and American Organic Standards. Pristine fruit, picked at optimum ripeness is essential to the creation of Wild Fox, emerging with low sulphur levels for the comfort of those who may be sensitive even to the naturally occuring sulphur in wine. Only dedicated people will help make the Wild Fox story a successful one. All growers and staff are highly dedicated and committed to producing and promoting wines that respect, enhance and sustain our natural environment. Wild Fox are proud to make wines which are clean and pure, that taste great and carry health benefits.