The Vineyard

Wantirna Estate Vineyard is not far from the centre of Melbourne, in the south-eastern area of Australia.

Planted in 1963 Wantirna Estate was the first of the new generation vineyards, the Yarra Valley having been an important grape growing area in the 1800s. The impetus for the vineyard began back in 1956 when Reg Egan married Bertina Curcio whose mother was English but whose father was Italian. Wine and food were important in the Curcio household and so started a fascination with the history of wine in Victoria. Before long they had their minds on a vineyard somewhere in the Yarra Valley.

The early vine plantings included all sorts of varieties, many largely unknown, for those early Australian wine growing days. Varieties such as crouchon, pedro ximenez, barbera and dolcetto. But it was the classical varieties that eventually won the day and in the 1970’s the vineyard was consolidated to focus on chardonnay, pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot and petit verdot. Much of the existing cabernet sauvignon and merlot vines  were part of the original 1963 plantings.
"Our Vineyard is a never-ending world of change and enchantment. At times vigor and energy are required, at times patience needed."

Reg Egan
"Continuing the tradition, all the extended family still gets involved
in the vineyard life - whether it is picking the grapes, helping
to prune or looking busy riding the motor bike."

Maryann Egan

Winemaking at Wantirna Estate mostly under taken by  Maryann Egan.

These days Reg describes himself as the interfering winemaker but back in the early days everything was done by Reg, dashing from his legal practice to the winery to check on the ferments. Today the wine making responsibility has been transferred to Maryann, who has a degree in wine science from Charles Sturt University.

Both have honed their practical skills in amongst the small domaines and chateaux of Burgundy and Bordeaux where the single vineyard, terroir driven wines have inspired them. Maryann was also a winemaker for many years in the early days of Domaine Chandon.

Like all small wineries it is a family affair with everyone involved in some way during the year.
Reg Egan started life as a farmer’s son in the small country town of Tolmie in north east Victoria. Many years as a Melbourne lawyer then followed during which time Reg and Bertina planted Wantirna Estate. In 1984 Reg gave up the law to concentrate on the vineyard.

For many years Reg and Bertina travelled to Europe looking at vineyards, visiting winemakers and thoroughly immersing themselves in the European wine culture.

Reg’s love for the land is evident at the property. Native plants complement old-fashioned roses, fruit trees and olive plantings. Meanwhile Bertina’s Italian heritage comes out in the kitchen that has hosted many a wine lunch and fed more than one extra vintage helper.

As another pursuit, Reg is also a novelist with three books published to date – "Lottie" and "A Breakfast in Bourg".  The most recent book, Of Rivers, Baguettes and Billabongs was published in 2012 and discusses and compares the countryside and rivers of France and Australia.
Maryann Egan had no choice to becoming a winemaker…really. After completing her degree in physical education, she took off to backpack around Europe. Then running short of money around vintage time, it seemed the perfect moment to re-acquaint herself with the winemakers she’d met as a child, and to get some paid work to fund the rest of her trip.

After a vintage in Burgundy, Maryann returned to Australia to begin her Oenology studies at Charles Sturt University.

For the next six years Maryann worked at Domaine Chandon making both sparkling and table wines.

After the birth of her first child Amelia in 1996, she returned to Wantirna Estate. Along with her commitment to the winery, Maryann has been a wine writer for Gourmet Traveller WINE magazine, wine editor for Donna Hay magazine and a presenter on the SBS series The Wine Lovers Guide to Australia.

Today, Maryann tries to manage the occasional visit to the vineyards of France and Italy with her family – Justin Robison and daughters Amelia and Hannah – as well as the odd trip in search of fresh powder snow.