WILFRED WINE
Wilfred Wine is a contemporary McLaren Vale label from the Walter Clappis Wine Co., created around premium fruit, Mediterranean varieties and a bright, immediately drinkable interpretation of South Australian wine. Family sits at the centre of the project: the name Wilfred pays tribute to founder Walter William Wilfred Clappis, with the next generation now carrying the family's winemaking philosophy forward.
Based in McLaren Vale, Wilfred takes advantage of a region particularly well suited to both traditional Australian varieties and grapes with Mediterranean origins. The range deliberately places Italian varieties alongside Shiraz, demonstrating how McLaren Vale's warm climate, maritime influence and diverse geology can produce wines with flavour intensity while retaining freshness and energy.
The Wilfred team works with premium fruit from family growers throughout McLaren Vale, complemented by fruit from its own certified organic and biodynamic vineyard in the Willunga foothills. Sustainability is an important part of the project, extending beyond vineyard management into efforts to reduce the environmental impact of winery operations.
Winemaking is led by James and Kimberly Cooter, whose approach emphasises gentle extraction during fermentation. Rather than pursuing excessive concentration, the objective is to retain bright fruit and juiciness while preserving enough tannin and structure to give the wines definition. This creates a recognisably modern McLaren Vale style: generous and expressive, but energetic and approachable.
Italian varieties are particularly important to Wilfred. The current collection includes Vermentino, Nero d'Avola, Sangiovese and Montepulciano, alongside Shiraz. Together they provide a concise exploration of varieties increasingly associated with the future of warm-climate Australian viticulture.
Wilfred Nero d'Avola demonstrates the site's potential particularly well. The fruit comes from a single McLaren Vale vineyard planted on Pirramimma Sandstone. The 2025 vintage underwent spontaneous fermentation with wild yeast in open-top fermenters before five months in seasoned French oak hogsheads. The resulting style combines dark berries and plum with floral, herbal and spicy notes, supported by bright acidity and supple tannins. The wine received 95 points and a Gold Medal at the McLaren Vale Wine Show.
The estate's Shiraz provides a more classical expression of McLaren Vale. Fruit is sourced from Wilfred's certified organic and biodynamic estate vineyard in the Willunga Foothills, growing on clay-loam soils. The wine is fermented with indigenous yeasts, with a significant proportion of whole berries retained, before maturation in seasoned oak. The result combines dark cherry, blackberry and plum with violet, pepper, spice and structured tannin.
Importantly, Wilfred does not present alternative varieties merely as curiosities. The philosophy is to show why grapes such as Nero d'Avola, Sangiovese, Montepulciano and Vermentino can perform naturally in McLaren Vale. These varieties bring acidity, savoury character and versatility to a region historically dominated internationally by Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon.
The result is a range with a clear identity: vibrant, uncomplicated and designed to be enjoyed, while remaining grounded in serious fruit sourcing and thoughtful vineyard management. Wilfred offers an appealing introduction to the evolving face of McLaren Vale, where established regional strengths increasingly sit alongside Mediterranean varieties adapted to South Australia's climate.
Shop Wilfred Wine online at Wine More Cellars Australia. Discover McLaren Vale Vermentino, Nero d'Avola, Sangiovese, Montepulciano and Shiraz with Australia-wide shipping and free delivery on eligible orders over $199.
