ABOUT TILLEY'S WINES
Founded in 1985, Tilley’s Wines is a family-owned business run by Ivor Tilley, his daughter Annabelle, and their dedicated team in Wollaston, Northamptonshire. As an independent importer, we have built a reputation for sourcing exceptional, character-driven wines from South Australia, including McLaren Vale, Adelaide Hills, and Clare Valley. We also specialise in wines from small, independent winemakers, with a strong focus on Italy and a growing portfolio of hidden gems from France and Spain.
QUALITY AND VALUE
Our wines come from small, family-run vineyards where winemaking is a passion, not just a profession. The winemakers we work with are deeply committed to producing wines that reflect their dedication to quality, care, and attention to detail. They focus on small parcels of fruit and often handcraft their wines to create something truly special — wines that are not only interesting but incredibly drinkable.
HOW TILLEY'S WINES BEGAN
Ivor Tilley, though always a wine enthusiast, didn’t start his career in the wine industry. With a background in the leather and footwear trade, he is also the owner of NPS Shoes Ltd in Wollaston, where he continues to manufacture the renowned Solovair footwear. Ivor’s connection to South Australia, however, comes through his wife Jennie, whose family is based in McLaren Vale. Over the past 30 years, Ivor and his family have made annual visits to the region, developing close relationships with local winemakers.
While spending his Christmas holidays between the golf course and visiting cellar doors, Ivor grew increasingly captivated by the remarkable quality of the wines from McLaren Vale. This sparked his desire to introduce these wines to the UK, where he found a growing demand for high-quality, affordable wines that were previously hard to find.
LEFT: Tilley's Wines founder, Ivor Tilley (right), with Hugh Hamilton founder, Hugh Hamilton.
OUR PASSION FOR SHOES AND BOOZE
Tilley’s Wines has expanded its reach, not just in South Australia but also in Italy, where the worlds of wine and leather often overlap. Ivor’s long-standing visits to tanneries in Tuscany and Veneto introduced him to the wonderful wines of the region, further fuelling his passion for unique and exceptional wines.
Our commitment to finding wines of character and complexity has earned us a loyal following, both private and trade, and significant recognition in the wine press, including Decanter, James Halliday, Matthew Jukes, The Wine Spectator, and Jancis Robinson.
WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU
We hope you enjoy exploring our collection of wines.
If you have any questions or suggestions for wines we should try, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.