The Wignall’s Story in Brief

With the planting of the first ten acres of vines in 1982, Wignalls King River vineyard was up and running as a prestigious Australian small label. Wignalls wines is a traditional winery operated by Bill Wignall, his wife Pat and son Robert. Growing grapevines was completely new for the family and for the new internationally recognised GI sub wine-growing region, “Albany” of the “Great Southern”.

The Wignalls judgement proved correct, and results were not long coming. The very first vintage in 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 (an all expenses paid trip to France’s famous wine regions) for Western Australia’s “Best Table Wine”. Since conception of the label, Wignalls have won over Fifty Gold medals and Trophies, just too many to list but please read on for more recent trophies won by Wignalls: -

1990 Chairman’s Award for WA’s “Best Individual Wine” Sheraton, Perth WA Wine Awards (Pinot Noir)

1990 SGIO’s Travel Award (North America) WA’S “Best Table Wine” – This time with Pinot Noir

1991 Chairman’s Award for WA’S “Best Individual Wine” Sheraton, Perth WA Wine Awards (Pinot Noir)

1992 “Champion Dry White Table Wine” Australian Small Winemakers Show

1993 Selected Pinot Noir for representation for “Best Australasian Red Wine including Africa” and came third. Wignalls 1993 Pinot Noir came into folk law as the wine won Gold in every show shown in Australia except Perth.

1994 Wignalls unknown wine Blend won an unexpected Trophy at the Perth Sheraton Wine Awards for our “Pinot Cabernet” awarded by Len Evans.

1998 Highest awarded Gold Medal (in the world) for Wignalls 1996 Chardonnay at the “Japan International Wine Challenge”.

1998 Trophy “Best Australian White Wine” Japan International Wine Challenge.

2000 Nominated and voted (by the US wine industry) as one of eight wineries to be highlighted at the “International Pinot Noir Celebration” hosted in Oregon US annually.

2000 Wignalls winery nominated and won “Small Business Awards” for an agriculturally based business in our region. Our competition was mining companies, multinational tree plantation companies and highly successful exporting companies.

Development of the Albany vineyard has proceeded steadily with approximately 35,000 vines or 22 hectares in loving care.

Wignalls believe that localised conditions or “Terroir” is the main reason for the numerous successes that we have achieved. Perfect attention to detail, with a sophisticated trellis system to maximise sunlight access and air circulation do assist with vineyard growing practices. Pruning (June, July) and picking (March, April) is by hand, thus the wine is as natural and clean as is possible. Also Wignalls have had a strict policy of not spraying pesticides since 1988 and work on a “Permaculture” system of were the vineyard works with nature and not against. Also Wignalls only produce straight varietal styled wines and have no intention of ever making a “classic white or red” wine.

In 1997 the Wignall family decided to erect a modern winery at the vineyard to maximise the benefits of the superior grapes they were producing. With a number of vintages now in bottle, the move has proven to be a wise one. As a result the future looks very promising for this family operated “Boutique” winery.

2002 sees a new era in winemaking for the brand with a major upgrade of the Wignalls label. 20 years since establishment was a perfect opportunity for a new label to be released and also to welcome Bills son Rob to senior management.

October 2004 has now seen the family succession taking place with Robert and Claire Wignall now taking the full reign of Wignalls wines over from parents, Dr Bill and Pat Wignall.

Biography on Wignalls Winemaker

Micheal Perkins

Micheal Perkins (alias Mick) joined Wignalls just before vintage 2007. Mick was originally employed in the mining industry as an industrial chemist then joined an exciting industry called the wine industry! Mick has been in the wine industry in the Great Southern since 1997, in bottling technology, then progressed to cellar hand, laboratory technician and progressed to production winemaker for Goundrey wines. Since then, Mick has attended the Australian Wine Research Institution in “advanced assessment course” in 2004, topping the class for red wine assessment. Mick lives in nearby Denmark with wife Janet and three fantastic boys all in schooling in Denmark.