It all started out with a bunch of Aussie winemakers heading over to France to show the old dogs some new tricks. Australian wine had taken the world by storm in the 1970s and 1980s so el patrón, Tony Laithwaite, decided to get some Aussies over to France. From there the RedHeads seed was sown for a new wave in winemaking. ​ In a small shed in McLaren Vale, a former Indian restaurant, a few of us winemakers took on the mission. Back then it was about breaking free from corporate shackles to come and make “real” wines. Tiny batches, hands-on, the way it used to be done. ​ There have been a couple of Studio wineries over the years. McLaren Vale (Foggo Rd, Chalk Hill Rd) and in the Barossa (Lyndoch, Light Pass, Tanunda, Angaston) - but the principles remain the same. We still hold onto that benchmark quality, making limited batches, but now we’re also about grape liberation. ​ Our team constantly have their ears to the ground, searching out for the latest parcel to liberate from the big guys; we’re talking about the major, premium, Aussie brands. These grapes were originally destined for them, to be made into extortionately priced wines. You see, the growers themselves can’t afford to drink the fruits of their labour when it’s blended into these big names. No mistake, it’s a great honour to be selected for them, but now they can enjoy them. ​ We bring the fruit back to our Studio winery, a few rows at a time, to give them the special treatment they deserve. Handmade, carefully, skilfully, watched over night and day. ​ They go on to form wines of true individuality and character through this process. That’s what we’re after at RedHeads. It’s all about creating wines with a personality that are made to be enjoyed. We can’t save them all, but we try. The “movement” goes on.