Mr. Riggs Wine Co. is a family-owned premium winery rooted in McLaren Vale and the Adelaide Hills, renowned for bold yet finely balanced South Australian wines crafted by celebrated winemaker Ben Riggs.

Origins and Family Story of Mr. Riggs

The story of Mr. Riggs begins with Ben Riggs, a South Australian winemaker who had already built a formidable reputation before putting his own name on a label in 2001. After many vintages at the iconic Wirra Wirra in McLaren Vale and formative experience with mentors such as Tony Parkinson, he set out to create a wine company that captured the vineyards and regions he loved most. From the start, the philosophy was unpretentious: harness outstanding fruit from South Australia’s best sites and let place, rather than ego, do the talking.

The brand quickly grew from a personal project into a proudly family-owned business, with the Riggs family at the heart of operations and identity. The Latin motto “Dum Vivo Cano” – translated at the winery as “While alive, celebrate” – became a guiding spirit, turning every vintage into a kind of invitation to enjoy generous, soulful wines with friends and family. Over more than two decades, Mr. Riggs has evolved from a small venture into a respected South Australian name, yet it still feels like a family table extended to anyone who opens a bottle.

Winemaker Ben Riggs and His Philosophy

Ben Riggs stands at the centre of the Mr. Riggs story, and his winemaking style is both distinctive and deeply tied to South Australian terroir. Having completed dozens of vintages across Australia and overseas, he brings a mix of European insight and local instinct to every wine, blending Old World texture and structure with New World generosity of fruit. His time as chief winemaker at Wirra Wirra and tutelage under figures like Murray Tyrrell and Brian Croser gave him a technical backbone and a respect for detail that shows in the glass.

Riggs often describes his aim as crafting wines that he personally loves to drink: big, rich and complex, yet always carrying finesse, texture and elegance. He focuses on expressing “the essence of the vineyard and the region’s terroir,” which means site selection and grower relationships are as important as what happens in the winery. This approach allows him to shape powerful Shiraz, finely etched Riesling, and textural whites that each speak clearly of their origins while still bearing his unmistakable signature.

Regions and Vineyards: McLaren Vale and Beyond

Although Mr. Riggs is closely associated with McLaren Vale and its red-wine prowess, the winery is built on a multi-regional foundation across South Australia. McLaren Flat in McLaren Vale provides the home base, with vineyards such as Piebald Gully in the cooler Clarendon sub-region offering elevated, finely structured Shiraz that underpins some of the label’s flagship reds. The maritime climate, diverse geology and ancient soils of McLaren Vale contribute depth, dark fruit and natural richness to the reds that bear the Mr. Riggs name.

Beyond McLaren Vale, fruit is sourced from the Adelaide Hills, Clare Valley and Coonawarra, each bringing its own personality into the range. Adelaide Hills contributes cool-climate freshness and aromatic lift for varieties such as Pinot Gris and Riesling, with sites like Woodside yielding whites of pear, white peach and vibrant texture. Clare Valley supplies classic, lime-driven Riesling with chiselled acidity, while Coonawarra adds its famous terra rossa-derived structure and line to reds in selected blends. This network of vineyards allows Mr. Riggs to paint with a broad South Australian palette while maintaining clear regional identities in each bottling.

Accolades, Reputation and Signature Wines

Over time, Mr. Riggs has earned a strong critical following and a reputation at the premium end of the market, including recognition as a Halliday 5-star winery under Ben’s leadership. Numerous wines have attracted high scores, “Top Value” designations and positive reviews from publications and critics, particularly for Riesling and Pinot Gris from the Adelaide Hills and Clare Valley. The Real Review, for example, tracks a wide set of Mr. Riggs releases, noting consistent quality and strong value across vintages.

Several wines stand out as signatures in the portfolio. Reds such as the J.F.R. Shiraz and single-site expressions like the Burnt Block McLaren Vale Shiraz showcase concentrated fruit, spice and longevity, with the Burnt Block drawing on vines at Piebald Gully that rebounded after a lightning-sparked fire in the late 1990s. On the white side, wines including Ein Riese Riesling and Adelaide Hills Pinot Gris repeatedly score around or above 90 points and gain “Top Value” mentions, reinforcing the winery’s dual strength in both red and white styles. Retailers and wine clubs across Australia regularly highlight Mr. Riggs bottles as benchmark South Australian examples in their categories.

Wine Range, Cellar Door and Visitor Experience

The Mr. Riggs range is deliberately diverse, spanning everyday drinking through to cellar-worthy wines, yet unified by a focus on regional expression and texture. Shiraz is a natural hero, from McLaren Vale bottlings such as The Bolter and Burnt Block to other regional expressions that balance plush fruit with savoury detail. Alongside Shiraz, you will find Syrah, Cabernet-based reds and blends that emphasise structure, drive and food-friendliness.

Whites and aromatics form the other pillar of the portfolio. Adelaide Hills Pinot Gris delivers pear and white peach with a gently textured palate, while multiple Riesling labels from Clare Valley and the Hills offer crisp citrus, floral notes and ageing potential. There are also other small-batch or regional varietal wines in the range, allowing Ben Riggs to explore sites and styles while giving drinkers an ever-evolving set of discoveries.

The physical home of Mr. Riggs is at 169 Douglas Gully Road, McLaren Flat, placing visitors in the heart of vine-covered hills just minutes from McLaren Vale’s main trail. The site is listed regionally as a winery destination, and while detailed public information focuses on the wines and contact details rather than a formal restaurant program, the setting lends itself naturally to relaxed tastings and regional exploration. Many bottles also appear across specialist retailers, hampers and wine clubs, so even if you are tasting from Adelaide or your own home, opening a Mr. Riggs wine is a way to sit at the Riggs family table and experience McLaren Vale, Adelaide Hills, Clare Valley and Coonawarra in the glass.