WIRRA WIRRA: KICKIN' SERIOUS ARSE

Just got home from a blast of a day at Wirra Wirra, which I haven't visited for far too long. Kicked around the 2015 barrels (ew mama) and tasted the fabulous bench, then had a fair dinkum family lunch with the whole stripey tribe. Trottie would squirm with delight were he there. Here's the WW vine gardener (Anton Groffen) the wine chef (Paul Smith) and the maître d' of the whole damn show, Andrew Kay. These dudes know what they're doing. More story and tasting notes coming soon. And here's Trott, at The Barn I reckon, in about 1984 ... Jim Irvine, Andrew Wigan, Trott and Stephen John ... photos Philip White

... and here's the author with Cyclone Clayton playing the midnight shift during the 24 hour Wirra Wirra clearance sale Zar Brooks organised to turn Trott's vast stores of miscellaeneous stocks to income in about 1994 ... we were Vello Nou, keyboards, Duncan Archibald, drums, Russell Toolin, bass and vocals, Craig 'Crabs' Tidswell, sax and vocals, Jimmy Barker, guitar and Whitey, guitar and vocals ... now that was a night.

... here are some photographs from the book we eventually got published in 2007, after Trotty's death: McLaren Vale: Trott's View

I think these photographs are all by Christo Reid, except the bottom petrol station one, which looks like Milton Wordley ... let me know if I'm wrong, comrades ... Trott was the first significant activist in the battle to stop the creep of villa rash into McLaren Vale ... had he lived longer, he'd be delighted that the savage mob who followed took up the cudgel and got it through and stopped by legislation, thanks to the efforts of the local member of parliament, Leon 'Biggles' Bignell ... vigilance, vigilance ... the image below is mine, being a snap of some Wirras I reviewed last year with the book ... fresh reviews coming right on