Ryecroft was another important producer which emerged in McLaren Vale during the 1890s. Its story paralleled Kay Brothers. The 160-acre property was originally a mixed farm and piggery, but it was bought by Frederick Wilkinson in 1884. According to historian Rosemary Burden ‘the first vines were planted in 1886 using the then rather popular method of running a strip of eight to ten rows of Cabernet Sauvignon through his larger plantings of Shiraz grapes.’ The vineyard expanded to 60 acres by 1903, reflecting the trade in bulk Burgundy red wine to England. But rabbits were an increasing problem in the area with massive crop losses. The business was sold in 1919 after the death of Frederick’s son Lewis in France in 1917. And bought by returned solider Lieutenant James Ingoldby with the help of his father-in-law. “The Wattles” vineyard at McLaren Vale was also contracted by Penfolds to supply the expanding Penfolds business under the direction of Herbert Leslie Penfold Hyland. Mr Cyril Pridmore, whose brother was the Mayor of Coventry in England, processed his first vintage in 1896 from grower fruit and added a stone cellar in 1901. In his obituary (1925) the Adelaide Register reports that “had this winery not existed, the vignerons in the district said it was difficult to know how they would have deposed of their crops during the glut years.” The Wattles vineyard and winery were leased by Penfolds in 1910 and then acquired sometime later. The vineyard added significant volumes to Penfolds intake. Despite the economic depression, export of bulk wine to England gathered steam in the late 1890s despite a long period of drought conditions. Among those who benefitted from this market was Robert Strangways Wigley, an eccentric hellraiser and third generation South Australian. Together with his brother Thomas, they bought 100 acres of land in McLaren Vale in 1893 and named the property Wirra Wirra (a local aboriginal phrase meaning “among the gum trees”). They purchased the land from the Phillipson brothers. Although Robert Strangways Wigley had partial sight loss, he played first-class cricket three times for South Australia. He installed a cricket pitch, with covered spectator stand, on his property as well. By the late 1890s, the venture was selling its Grenache- based wine in barrels to Peter Bond Burgoyne for the UK market. Most of this was for the growing Australian Burgundy market in the United Kingdom. The winery was producing around 20,000 gallons in 1907 with
McLaren Vale
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