PENLEY ESTATE

Penley Estate is a family-owned Australian winery based in Coonawarra, South Australia, one of the country's most celebrated regions for Cabernet Sauvignon. Established in 1988, Penley combines an impressive Australian wine heritage with a distinctly contemporary approach to Coonawarra. The name Penley itself reflects the union of two pioneering South Australian wine families: Penfold and Tolley.

The estate was created by three siblings who established vineyards in Coonawarra with a particular focus on Cabernet Sauvignon. Since 2015, sisters Ang and Bec Tolley have taken full custody of Penley, introducing a new generation of energy to the business while retaining its strong family identity and connection to the region.

Coonawarra provides the foundation for the Penley style. The region is famous for its narrow strip of terra rossa soil over ancient limestone, stretching approximately 27 kilometres long and only around two kilometres wide. These free-draining red soils, together with Coonawarra's cool maritime influence and long, even ripening season, provide exceptional conditions for producing structured yet elegant red wines.

Cabernet Sauvignon is at the heart of Penley Estate. In Coonawarra, the variety typically develops concentrated dark fruit, fine tannins, lifted aromatics and characteristic herbal and spice notes. Rather than limiting Cabernet to one traditional, heavily structured expression, Penley explores the variety across a remarkably broad range of styles—from vibrant, approachable wines intended for earlier drinking to serious, cellar-worthy bottlings.

The estate's modern direction has been strongly shaped by winemaker Kate Goodman, who joined Penley in 2016 after more than two decades of experience at wineries including Wirra Wirra, Seppelt and Punt Road. Goodman was named 2024 Halliday Wine Companion Winemaker of the Year, and her approach has helped establish a fresher, more expressive interpretation of Coonawarra while retaining the structure and varietal character for which the region is renowned.

Penley's Cabernet collection demonstrates this philosophy particularly clearly. Phoenix Cabernet Sauvignon provides a vibrant and accessible introduction to the estate, while Tolmer Cabernet Sauvignon offers dark fruit, cassis, herbs, subtle oak and structured tannins in a modern Coonawarra style. At the premium end, wines such as Steyning Cabernet Sauvignon and Helios Cabernet Sauvignon explore greater concentration, complexity and ageing potential.

The portfolio extends beyond straight Cabernet Sauvignon. Chertsey is a Cabernet-based blend, while Eos Cabernet Shiraz brings together two of Australia's most important red varieties. Penley also produces Shiraz, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, including Francis Cabernet Franc, reflecting the estate's increasingly diverse interpretation of its Coonawarra vineyards.

Experimentation has become another defining feature of contemporary Penley. Its Project Wines provide an opportunity to explore techniques including whole-bunch fermentation, extended skin contact, natural fermentation, concrete vessels and alternative approaches to maturation. One Project Cabernet was fermented in a concrete egg and matured on skins, deliberately exploring Cabernet's perfume and texture without relying on oak flavour.

Despite this progressive approach, Penley remains fundamentally connected to its vineyard and Coonawarra terroir. The estate describes its objective as producing wines that reflect the character of the region rather than masking it, balancing fruit expression, freshness and precision with the structure naturally provided by Cabernet Sauvignon and the famous terra rossa soils.

For drinkers exploring modern Australian Cabernet, Penley Estate offers an interesting bridge between classic Coonawarra heritage and contemporary Australian winemaking. The wines retain the region's unmistakable Cabernet identity while embracing greater perfume, freshness, drinkability and stylistic diversity.

Shop Penley Estate wines online at Wine More Cellars Australia. Discover Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and premium Australian red wines with Australia-wide shipping and free delivery on eligible orders over $199.