Primo Estate is a family-owned winery in McLaren Vale, home of the JOSEPH wines and olive oil, with a range that reflects the family's Italian heritage. Its story began in 1953 when 18-year-old Primo Grilli arrived in South Australia from Italy's Le Marche region. He met his wife Santina in Adelaide, though they had grown up less than a kilometre apart in Italy, and they settled at Virginia, north of Adelaide, with a dream of planting a vineyard. The family built a winery in time for the 1979 vintage.
Their son Joe Grilli studied at Roseworthy and became one of Australia's most innovative winemakers, pioneering techniques such as double-pruned Cabernet and botrytised Riesling, then almost unheard of in Australia. The JOSEPH wines and olive oils carry his name.
Today owner and winemaker Matteo Grilli leads the family's Nero d'Avola revolution. The cellar door on McMurtrie Road welcomes visitors, and the Virginia Vineyard Club offers member releases.
- Address
- 50 McMurtrie Road, McLaren Vale SA 5171
- Founded
- 1979
- Winemakers
- Matteo Grilli
Visit the Primo Estate website
Regions
Wines
- Primo Estate Adelaide Shiraz — Red
- Primo Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Joseph Moda — Red
- Primo Estate Fiano — White
- Primo Estate Frontignac Joseph The Fronti — Fortified
- Primo Estate Joseph Angel Gully Clarendon Shiraz — Red
- Primo Estate Joseph McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot — Red
- Primo Estate Joseph Sparkling Red — Sparkling
- Primo Estate Joseph The Fronti — Fortified
- Primo Estate La Biondina — White
- Primo Estate La Biondina Colombard — White
- Primo Estate Merlesco McLaren Vale Merlot — Red
- Primo Estate Nebbiolo Joseph — Red
- Primo Estate Nebbiolo Joseph Clarendon — Red
- Primo Estate Nero d'Avola — Red
- Primo Estate Pecorino — White
- Primo Estate Pinot Grigio Joseph d'Elena — White
- Primo Estate Pinot Gris Joseph d'Elena Clarendon Pinot Grigio — White
- Primo Estate Primo & Co The Venetian Garganega Bianco Veneto — White
- Primo Estate Primo Grigio — White
- Primo Estate Primo and Co The Tuscan Shiraz Sangiovese Toscana — Red
- Primo Estate Prosecco 0 — Sparkling
- Primo Estate Prosecco NV — Sparkling
- Primo Estate Shale Stone McLaren Vale Shiraz — Red
- Primo Estate Shiraz Quaranta Cinque — Red
- Primo Estate Shiraz Sangiovese Il Briccone — Red
- Primo Estate Sparkling Primo Secco — Sparkling
- Primo Estate Sweet white Joseph La Magia Botrytis Riesling Traminer — Dessert
- Primo Estate Zamberlan McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon Sangiovese — Red