Penny Jones
CULTIVATING WILD IDEAS
At the top of Tasmania, winemaker Penny Jones has built a reputation as a talented winemaker who crafts refined wines but isn’t afraid to throw out the rulebook every now and then.
Tasmanian born and bred; Penny spent a decade as a winemaker on the mainland before returning to the island that has transformed from a fledgling wine region to a haven for world-class wines. As head winemaker at Bay of Fires, Penny leads a small team in creating premium wines from hand-picked grapes. Bright, exciting wines that reflect their pristine environment.
An inspired life in wine
A young Penny developed a love for wine while working in a Hobart restaurant and wine bar. She was thrilled to discover she could study winemaking and headed off to university in Adelaide. She then spent a decade working with winemaking legend Brian Croser at the renowned Petaluma in the Adelaide Hills, where she learnt how to craft elegant wines in a cool climate.
In 2013, Penny returned to her home state when she joined acclaimed Tasmanian winery Bay of Fires in the island’s north. Here her focus is on Tasmania’s signature styles – sparkling, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, as well as Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris.
“Inspiring winemaking is easy in Tasmania, where we have so much beautiful produce that all comes from a couple of kilometres from home,” says Penny. “We’ve got really ancient soil, really cool nights, and we have a lovely, long ripening process, which means we get a lot of flavour in our fruit.”
A nature lover who’s also into boxing and rowing, Penny takes inspiration from where she works in Pipers River – a “wild location” that’s home to an array of wildlife, from platypus to sea eagles. As well as producing sparkling wines that rival the world’s best, Penny has also been playing around with wines made in a big concrete egg and a funky Pinot Gris fermented on its skins for 84 days.
“We have a house style but we’re also doing things behind the scenes, experimenting with things because it’s a bit boring not to,” she says. “We’re always having ideas, so we’ve got to test those things out. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t.”
“We’re always having ideas, so we’ve got to test those things out. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t.” – Penny Jones
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