Reillys Wines

Reillys Wines is a proudly South Australian, family-owned winery established by Justin and Julie Ardill in 1993. With professional backgrounds in pharmacy and medicine, Justin saw an opportunity to pursue his passion for wine by purchasing a small 12-acre vineyard at Watervale in the Clare Valley.

The couple also purchased a humble stone cottage on the main street of Mintaro to serve as their first winery and cellar door. Known as Reilly’s Cottage, the building and its historic owner, Irish shoemaker Hugh Reilly, inspired the name Reillys Wines.

From a Cottage Verandah

Reillys produced its first wines in 1994 from just ten tonnes of fruit. Of this, 3.6 tonnes of Old Bushvine Grenache were crushed, open-fermented and basket-pressed by hand by Justin and Julie on the verandah of Reilly’s Cottage.

That first vintage produced approximately 300 dozen bottles each of Riesling, Shiraz and Old Bushvine Grenache. What began as a small, hands-on operation gradually developed into a recognised family wine business.

By 2000, production had outgrown the cottage and a purpose-built winery was established at Leasingham, equipped to support the next stage of Reillys’ growth while preserving the small-batch approach of its earliest vintages.

The Story of Hugh Reilly and Mintaro

Hugh Reilly was an Irish shoemaker who arrived in Hobart in 1841 before travelling to the small Clare Valley township of Mintaro in 1856 with his wife and children.

Over the following decade, Hugh converted the stone barn that had been his family home into Reilly’s Cottage, which served as his cobbler’s shop during a period when Mintaro was expanding through the success of its slate quarry.

Estate-Grown Clare Valley Wines

Over the years, Justin and Julie expanded their vineyard holdings and developed relationships with premium local growers across the Watervale and Leasingham districts.

Their estate vineyards are characterised by rich red loam over deep limestone. Managed by long-time viticulturist and family friend Rob Smyth, the vineyards are maintained at naturally low yields to produce intensely flavoured berries and regionally distinctive, fruit-driven wines.

Reillys follows a limited-intervention winemaking philosophy, allowing the quality and character of its Clare Valley fruit to remain the focus of each finished wine.

Reilly’s Cottage Today

The original 1856 cottage remains home to the Reillys cellar door and restaurant. Its historic stone walls now provide a welcoming setting for estate-grown wine tastings, seasonal food and long lunches in the heart of Mintaro.

Nearby heritage buildings associated with Mintaro’s early history have also been restored as accommodation, allowing visitors to extend their stay and experience more of the Clare Valley’s wine, food and landscape.