About Us
Patritti was founded in 1926 by Giovanni Patritti and is Adelaide’s only remaining 100% family owned, fully operational urban winery.
The historic winery is located on a suburban street, just 12km from Adelaide’s city centre in Dover Gardens. Despite this unique location, Patritti is a genuine “grapes to glass” operation. The winemakers and production team have total control over winemaking operations from vinification to packaging.
With respect to our family values and authentic tradition of hard work, the Patritti team, work with integrity and strive for excellence to produce wines that deliver not only high quality but high value to our customers and trade partners.
A Quality Tourism Accredited business with over 50,000 visitors annually, we’re one of South Australia’s most exciting and fastest growing wine brands – and we’re only just getting warmed up!
Our Family Story
Giovanni Patritti was among the first Italian immigrants to arrive in South Australia. In 1925, a 25 year old Giovanni boarded a ship at the port of Genoa and left his Piedmontese village of Carru for a brighter future. He believed he was on his way to America to meet his sister. Instead he landed at Port Adelaide, South Australia, on the 28th of April, 1925.
With not a word of English, Giovanni still managed to swiftly gain employment. He changed his Italian name to the more ‘Australian’ John, and after a number of different jobs, began selling ice-cream at the gates of the Botanic Gardens in Adelaide.
Just one year later, Giovanni was leasing vineyards in the Brighton District, 15km south of Adelaide City (now the City of Marion), and making wine for the ‘new Australians’.
By the late 1920s Giovanni owned a number of acres of vineyard and had built a winery with his best friend, Cristiano (Jimmy) Bissacca. From the late 1920s until the 1960s, Patritti predominantly produced dry red table wines and fortified wines.
Out of a need to diversify and continue business growth in the early 1970s, the Patritti family came up with an ingenious and resourceful solution – one that has remained a unique point of difference for more than 40 years. 1974 saw the first release of 100% natural non-alcoholic sparkling grape juices from wine grapes. Some years later apple juice was introduced.
Since the late 2000s, Patritti has shifted their focus towards premium wines and adopted ‘new’ and rare grape varieties, adding depth and diversity to an already extensive range.
Vineyards
In the late 1950’s, the city of Adelaide was growing, and the original family vineyards that surrounded the current winery site were lost to the urban sprawl. This led Patritti to source new land for their vines and in the early 1960’s, two premium properties were purchased in the McLaren Vale region.
Blewitt Springs (McLaren Vale)
The Blewitt Springs vineyard is planted with 11 hectares of predominantly old vine Shiraz as well as Cabernet Sauvignon and Mataro. This highly regarded region of McLaren Vale is characterised by increased elevation and the free draining ancient, 56 million year old soil known as the North Maslin Sands.
Tatachilla (McLaren Vale)
The Tatachilla vineyard is planted with 15.5 hectares of old vine Grenache, as well as Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. This vineyard has ocean views and benefits from climate regulating sea breezes on Sandstone soils.
Urban Vineyards
Since 2006, the Patritti family have been custodians of the historic Marion Vineyard, planted in 1907 and comprising approximately 1 hectare of Grenache and 0.4 hectares of Shiraz. It is believed to be the oldest commercially operating urban vineyard in the world.
As part of a long-term arrangement with the City of Marion, Patritti also commercially operate two other smaller but historically significant vineyards in the suburbs at Oaklands Estate Reserve and Warriparinga Wetlands. These vineyards comprise old vine plantings of Muscat, Palomino and Pedro Ximenez.
Winemaking
The Patritti family have been making wine at their current Dover Gardens site continuously since 1926. Today the winery retains the charm of the traditional cellars but is also a fully functioning, modern commercial winery. All bottling and packaging is conducted on site at our modern bottling and packaging facility.
Senior Winemaker – James Mungall
James is a third-generation Patritti family member and carries on the family tradition of winemaking at the Dover Gardens winery. He first began helping out in the winery around the time he learned to walk and has worked in his family’s business ever since.
James is a very skilled and dedicated winemaker. He is passionate about continuing his family’s winemaking history and has great respect for the past and view to the future.
Winemaker – Ben Heide
Ben’s love for the wine industry began when he took his first job working on vineyards in McLaren Vale after finishing high school.
Ben first met James at Uni and then started working for Patritti part time while studying. Following completion of his degree, he spent several years making wine in McLaren Vale. Ben returned to Patritti in 2006 as a winemaker, his passion for the all-encompassing craft that involves science, agriculture and a dose of creativity making him an imperative part of the team.
Winemaker – Pauline Michael
Joining the winemaking team in 2023 is French-native Pauline Michael, the first female winemaker in the
organisations almost 100-year history.
Hailing from Normandy, France and with a double degree in Viticulture and Oenology from the Montpellier SupAgro, Pauline’s first ever vintage was in the north of Spain, before moving to Australia in 2017.
Plan Your Visit
Located in the heart of the City of Marion, you can find us in the neighbourhood of beautiful Dover Gardens. Just 12km from Adelaide’s city centre and a convenient 20min drive from Adelaide Airport, there is so much to see and do in the area.
The Marion Cultural Centre houses metropolitan Adelaide’s premier performing arts space being the Domain Theatre, in addition it incorporates the Cultural Centre Library, Gallery M, Cafe and meeting spaces and rooms for hire for functions and events.
Website: https://www.marion.sa.gov.au/venues-and-facilities/marion-cultural-centre
Gallery M is one of Adelaide’s most innovative visual arts spaces, a major suburban gallery located in the Marion Cultural Centre. With a lofty ceiling over four metres high, quality hanging systems, advanced climate control and specialized lighting, it is available for visual arts exhibitions for groups, individuals or community projects.
Website: https://gallerym.com.au/
Living Kaurna Cultural Centre & Warraparinga
The Living Kaurna Cultural Centre is located at Warriparinga and offers Aboriginal and environmental education programs, events and performances. The venue is also available to hire for meetings, training days, events and workshops.
Warriparinga is a unique site in the heart of Marion, known for its natural beauty, outdoors recreation, native plants and animals as well as a place for cultural and environmental education.
Warriparinga Wetlands is a series of ponds that diverts and filters water from the Sturt River, before releasing it back.
Website: https://www.marion.sa.gov.au/venues-and-facilities/living-kaurna-cultural-centre
The Marion Coastal Walkway is located in the Marion Coast Park which extends 7.2 km from Marino in the north, to the Hallett Headland Reserve at Hallett Cove in the south.
Its environment is unique in the metropolitan area, with its rugged cliffs, small coves and a rocky coast.
It also features world famous geological formations at Hallett Cove, important sites of remnant coastal vegetation, and the significant cultural presence of the Tjilbruke Dreaming.
Website: https://www.marion.sa.gov.au/things-to-do/walking-and-cycling-trails/coastal-walkway
Brighton Beach
Brighton Beach is family friendly with plenty to do, see, eat and walk! The whole family will love this beach which has a long jetty over a big sandy beach that’s patrolled by the Brighton Surf Lifesaving Club during Summer.
The first Brighton Jetty was built in 1886 and weathered the sea and storms for over 100 years. The Brighton jetty was badly damaged by winter storms in the 1994. The jetty was rebuilt using funds supplied by a mobile phone (cell phone) service provider, hence the tower on the end of the jetty.
At the shore end of the jetty is a War Memorial arch. Here, traditional Dawn Services are held annually on Anzac Day to commemorate fallen service men and women.
Website: https://www.adelaidebeaches.com.au/atdwproduct/brighton-jetty-attraction-brighton528
Latest News & Media
2024 Vintage Update
Vintage 2024 is in full swing. Kicking off on February 1st with Chardonnay from the Riverland, making it our earliest vintage since 2019.
SA Tourism Awards
The 2023 South Australian Tourism Awards finalists have been revealed, shining the spotlight on some of our state’s best tourism operators – including us!
Spring Cocktails
Spring has sprung and that means it’s time to indulge in some refreshing cocktails and bask in the sunshine.