Jasper Hill’s Emily McNally: Family, place and 50 years of Heathcote wine

About this episode

Emily McNally discusses her family's legacy in Heathcote wine and the evolution of Jasper Hill over the past 50 years.

Emily McNally has spent the past two decades furthering the legacy of her parents, Ron and Elva Laughton, who bought a young vineyard in the late 1970s in Heathcote and established the iconic Jasper Hill.  In this episode, host Anna Webster asks Emily why her parents chose Heathcote, how the region earned its identity (and her family’s role in it), what “organic and dry grown” actually means on the ground, why they’re picking grapes earlier than they used to, and adapting to a hotter, less predictable climate. We also dig into Jasper Hill’s key vineyards, Emily’s Paddock and Georgia’s Paddock, the wines in the glass, and the honest commercial reality of selling wine – particularly shiraz – in 2026. Jasper Hill Halliday Wine Companion Halliday Wine Companion on Instagram Halliday Wine Club Buy the  2026 Halliday Wine Companion LANGTONS LANGTONS on Instagram PLUMM PLUMM on Instagram   In this episode 00:00 Welcome to 2026, and why Jasper Hill moved to Heathcote 01:20 First vintage (1982) and making great wine with minimal gear 01:50 Heathcote before it was an official GI, and putting the region on the label…

People in this episode

Host: Anna Webster

Guest: Emily McNally

Topics covered

• Heathcote wine
• Jasper Hill
• organic farming
• climate adaptation
• shiraz

Keywords

• family legacy
• vineyard
• grape picking
• wine selling

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Heathcote, Paddock Shiraz, Paddock Shiraz Cabernet Franc, Paddock Nebbiolo, Razor Shiraz

Books & works: Georgia and Friends

Places: Heathcote, Jasper Hill’s, Georgia, Italy, Victoria, Chauncy

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