Wirra Wirra Flagship Dinner: A Night of McLaren Vale Icons and Seriously Good Wine

A McLaren Vale Icon Comes to Sydney

There are wine brands that become familiar long before you properly understand their story.
For us, Wirra Wirra has always been one of those names. Our first connection was Church Block.
It was one of Mum’s favourite wines, giving the label a special place in our family.

So, being invited by Sabino to the Wirra Wirra Flagship Dinner felt particularly fitting.
Held at the Sydney Seaplane Lounge, the evening brought McLaren Vale classics to Sydney.

The setting provided plenty of atmosphere, with the harbour providing a beautiful backdrop.
There was a relaxed buzz as guests settled in for the evening. Most importantly, there was a serious lineup of Wirra Wirra wines waiting to be explored. While the food was good, the wines were the real stars of the night.

Meeting Emma Wood

The evening also gave us our first opportunity to meet Emma Wood. Emma joined Wirra Wirra in 2022 after an impressive career across Australian wine. Her background includes senior winemaking roles with Seppelt Great Western and Penfolds. At Penfolds, she led the red winemaking team and its French winemaking venture.

She also spent five years working with Treasury Wine Estates’ viticulture team. That experience shaped her focus on vineyards, growers and individual parcels of fruit.

What stood out during the evening was Emma’s respect for Wirra Wirra’s existing identity. She is not trying to turn Wirra Wirra into another Penfolds. Instead, she wants to build on what already makes the brand distinctive. Her winemaking philosophy centres on regional expression, elegance, generosity and freshness.

That approach feels particularly relevant for McLaren Vale. The region can deliver richness without sacrificing freshness, detail or finesse. Emma and the team are looking carefully at vineyard sites and fruit quality. They are also refining the wines without losing their connection to Wirra Wirra’s history.

The Wines Were the Highlight

For us, the wines were the real highlight of the evening.

Trent particularly enjoyed the Riesling, which brought plenty of freshness and energy. The 12th Man Chardonnay offered another bright and polished expression from the Adelaide Hills.

Then came the reds. The 2025 Church Block Grenache Shiraz was a clear favourite for Trent.
At around $25, it is a seriously good everyday drinking option. It is generous, approachable and exactly the kind of bottle you want on hand. For us, Church Block also carried a little extra nostalgia. It was one of Mum’s favourite wines, so seeing it on the table was special. Needless to say, she ordered a case before I left that evening!

The premium wines showed a different side of Wirra Wirra. The RSW Shiraz brought greater concentration, structure and depth to the table. The Absconder Grenache was another standout, showing the elegance Grenache can deliver from McLaren Vale. Both wines had more complexity and length, rewarding a little more time in the glass.

They demonstrated that Wirra Wirra is not simply relying on its famous labels. There is serious ambition behind the wines sitting further up the range. That balance between accessible favourites and premium expressions is what makes the portfolio interesting. There is a Wirra Wirra wine for Tuesday night, but also one for a special occasion.

Food, Wine and a Room Full of Stories

The food provided a thoughtful backdrop for the wines. Dishes were beautifully presented and worked naturally with the wines throughout the evening. The best moments came from our own table.

We met several long-time Wirra Wirra fans who had been collecting the wines for decades. Funnily enough, most were Inner Westies, making the connection feel even more familiar. They shared stories from their cellars, including a few Wirra Wirra cellar secrets. It was fascinating hearing how the wines had evolved through their own collections.

These were not simply people who enjoyed the occasional bottle. They had followed the brand, collected vintages and watched it evolve over decades. That conversation captured something special about wine.
The best bottles often come with stories, memories and a little bit of history.

It made the evening feel less like a formal wine dinner. Instead, it felt like a room full of people swapping stories over great wine. Not to mention all the stories Sabino shared when showcasing the wines to the Italians on his recent trip to Italy.

Our Take

The Wirra Wirra Flagship Dinner reminded us why established Australian wine brands still matter. They carry history, memories and familiar bottles that can span generations.

For us, Church Block brought back memories of Mum’s favourite wine. For Trent, the Riesling and Church Block Grenache Shiraz delivered the biggest smiles.

The more serious wines showed there is plenty happening beyond the familiar labels. Emma Wood brings significant experience, but she also brings a clear respect for Wirra Wirra’s identity. That makes the future particularly interesting.

We left the Sydney Seaplane Lounge with a renewed appreciation for the brand. There was heritage on the table, but also plenty of energy for what comes next.

A big thank you to Sabino for inviting us and making us part of such a wonderful night. We had a genuinely great time. The food was good, the company was warm and the wine was delicious. Sometimes, that is exactly what a wine dinner should be.