In the early 2000s, owners and vignerons Owen and Cassandra Inglis fell in love with the gently sloping corner of the Adelaide Hills that is now Sidewood Estate.

The property near Oakbank had room to keep their horses and, most importantly, A-grade cool-climate vineyards they knew would produce premium wines.

Sidewood was founded in 2004 with a vision to create beautifully balanced, elegant wines with a sense of place. Wines that are delicious on the palate and also reflect the soil, the climate and lifestyle of the Adelaide Hills.

Since then, Sidewood has won a multitude of awards, including World’s Best Shiraz (2015 Decanter Magazine) for its 2013 Mappinga Shiraz as well as a Trophy for Australia’s finest Sauvignon Blanc at the Royal Melbourne Wine Show for its 2017 Sauvignon Blanc – the first Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc to do so. In fact, since 2015, Sidewood Estate has won more than 25 trophies and 300 gold medals for its wines and has achieved a 5 Red Star accreditation from James Halliday.

It all started with the 120-hectare Mappinga estate, near Oakbank, with its premium Sauvignon and Chardonnay vines, but Sidewood Estate now also runs vineyards at Nairne, Echunga and Verdun. Each site offers unique characteristics in its grapes. Mappinga is the coolest and Nairne the warmest, while Echunga is a specialist Shiraz site.

Sidewood Estate also owns its own winery and bottling facilities at Nairne, which means the experienced team at Sidewood has complete control over the making of its wines from the cultivating of vines in the vineyard to final bottling at the winery. This ability to reflect on, refine and tend to both vines and wines from grape to glass results in Sidewood Estate producing some of the highest quality wines in the world.

Sidewood’s hard-working viticultural team led by Vitiworks directors, Mark Vella and Peter McIntyre, use best-practice viticulture, ensuring the sustainability and health of the vines throughout the season. They have been a vital part of the Sidewood team since 2008. Mark and Peter have a combined experience of 35 years in the wine industry with more than 25 years in the Adelaide Hills region. Alongside their qualified viticulturists, dedicated machine operators and experienced labor crews, Vitiworks ensure the highest level of management within the Sidewood vineyards.

Sidewood Estate is the largest fully Entwine Accredited sustainable winery in the Adelaide Hills.This accreditation is through the Australian Wine Research Institute and Freshcare, and reflects Sidewood’s dedication and commitment to sustainable practices across the entire vineyard portfolio.