Wantirna Estate Vineyard is located just outside of Melbourne, Victoria in a town of the same name. Founded by Reg and Bertina Egan in 1963, Wantirna Estate was the first of the new generation vineyards planted outside the region of the Yarra Valley. This was a new adventure for Reg, a Melbourne lawyer who in 1984, gave up his law practice to focus solely on viticulture and winemaking. After a vintage in Burgundy, Reg and Bertina's daughter Maryann Egan studied oenology at Charles Sturt University and is currently the head winemaker in addition to being an accomplished wine writer. Early plantings included a mixed bag of Italian and Spanish varieties, however in the 1970s, the land was replanted to focus on more familiar grape varietals such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir for single vineyard wines and Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot for Bordeaux blends. Much of the current Cabernets and Merlot are part of the original 1963 plantings.
