Trait Wines

Theo Truyts (pronounced ‘traits’)  & Clare Trythall’s upbringings were physically & culturally worlds apart. From the wilds of Lesotho in Africa to the colourful life of a British expat in Asia, the duo’s lives spanned the globe before their meeting in Western Australia in 2013, he working as a vineyard manager & she as an emergency doctor.

 Six years (plus a marriage, citizenship, baby boy & scruffy dog) later, Theo chanced upon a rare opportunity: to assume management of a Margaret River vineyard – one he had worked on early in his time in Australia – that had left an indelible impact. Due to its low yields & ‘un-machine-able’ conditions, it was in danger of abandonment. The thought of this would not leave Theo alone, & struck him as the perfect time to realise his long-held ambition of nurturing his own vineyard.

The sloping site - with vines close-planted more than three decades ago - was producing ever-dwindling yields…but the fruit concentration & the quality was near-on perfection. The cost of running this singular vineyard was almost lunacy. The temptation was too good to refuse.

In 2019, cut off from their families abroad, the Truytses endured their first year as fully-fledged vignerons, with vintage, a tough season of pruning & Theo single-handedly grafting a quarter of the vineyard to Chardonnay. They juggled time with their young son & their ‘day jobs’ alongside the Trait vineyard to make it work, knowing that the precious site needed hand tending year-round, all the while seeing glimpses of magnificence.

Since taking on the management of this special site, Theo and Clare have since worked hard to preserve what would otherwise be lost in the vineyard, thanks to obsessive attention, rigorous upkeep & a hands-on approach.  Rejuvenation has meant putting the utmost into viticulture & management, rehabilitating the land & soil practices to bring the vines back to life, plus restoring the ecosystem for a more sustainable approach to farming, rather than stripping from the earth.

The wines speak of character; of people, love & family across generations & continents that have lead to this moment in history, this terroir, this vineyard, and capturing this in a bottle. The “X” that marks all of the Trait bottles is a Truyts family symbol which was hand-applied to luggage and personal effects. Theo’s family used this symbol on travels throughout Central Africa in the mid 20th Century. 

Theo and Clare continue to balance their 'day jobs', raising their three boys (and Bertie the dog) and building Trait Wines. In 2026 they finally opened their cellar door, and are eager to share their wines and stories with you.