McLaren Vale Tour #09 - Penny's Hill McLaren Vale, South Australia, Australia
By J_&_J on 10-Feb-18. Waypoint GA11459

It all begins in the vineyard.

In 1988 Tony and Susie Parkinson acquired land on the rolling foothills east of McLaren Vale. The 32 ha (80 acre) grazing property, a prized piedmont position with commanding views over the waters of Gulf St.Vincent, promised all the elements for a great vineyard.

Named Penny’s Hill Vineyard after the hill at the base of which it is sited, the property was planted to vines in 1991 to a unique narrow-row configuration to maximise vineyard productivity and grape and wine quality.

Further vineyard acquisition followed. In 1993, the newly-planted Malpas Road property was purchased, followed in 1996 by an adjacent highly prized hay-producing paddock that was planted to vines and named Goss Corner.

In 1998, the original Goss family homestead, ‘Ingleburne’ was added to the Malpas and Goss properties to reconnect what had originally been one entire holding.

Now many years on, Tony Parkinson maintains ownership and management of the business with a dedicated team which includes younger son, James who is learning the vineyard ropes and elder son David, a filmmaker who contributes much to the aesthetic of the enterprise. 

“Our wines reflect both generosity 
of the region and individuality of our estate plantings.”