Penley opens new cellar door

THE drive from Adelaide to Coonawarra winery Penley Estate’s cellar door has just been shortened by three hours with the opening of a new Penley Estate cellar door in McLaren Vale.

Ang and Bec Tolley at their new McLaren Vale cellar door Penley Estate. Photo: Matt Turner

THE drive from Adelaide to Coonawarra winery Penley Estate’s cellar door has just been shortened by three hours with the opening of a stunning new Penley Estate cellar door outpost on McLaren Vale’s main street.

The space is designed by highly sought-after SA interior architect Claire Kneebone, who is known for her dark tones and metallic finishes at hospitality venues such as city laneway bars Maybe Mae and Udaberri, Bread & Bone on Peel St, King William St’s 2KW and Press on Waymouth St.

Bec and Ang Tolley at their new McLaren Vale cellar door Penley Estate. Photo: Matt Turner

“It’s a warm space and it’s quite a dark space, highlighted with interesting lighting. The top of our bar is brass – which is quite unusual,” saysAng Tolley, who owns Penley Estate and the new McLaren Vale cellar door with sister Bec Tolley, both pictured right.

A large circular brass disc – a 3D depiction of the “helios” winery logo – hangs on one wall of the space, representing the sun, which Penley Estate hails as the source of all great wine.

Born from two of the most pioneering and iconic names in the Australian wine industry (Penfolds and Tolley, hence Penley), sisters Ang and Bec have consistently breathed new life into the brand, along with winemaker Kate Goodman, offering a contemporary take on Coonawarra classics.

The new cellar door is a place to sip their new-look range (labels also feature the golden helios sphere, by another great SA design firm, Parallax), as well as cellar door exclusives.

“What’s been really interesting in some of the feedback on social media, is (comments) like, ‘We love going to Penley Estate’s Coonawarra facility, but it’s awesome that it’s now so close to Adelaide so we can go and visit more’. It’s very heartening to hear,” Ang says.

The decision to open a new cellar door comes after Ang spent decades in the Vale.

“We’re a Coonawara-based wine company but most of us who work for Penley live in McLaren Vale,” she says.

“I’ve been involved in McLaren Vale for the past 20 years. For probably 30 years our company has been in Adelaide while our facility has been down in Coonawarra.

“So we figured that for the sake of sanity we’d move our offices to McLaren Vale and we thought, ‘Why don’t we have a cellar door ... as well?’ ”

If head winemakerKate’s drops aren’t reason enough to visit the new cellar door, there’s also the temptation of teaming a Penley red with a Cottage Bakery pastry from next door.

“We’d like people to come in and taste wine. If someone wants to buy a pie from the bakery next door and come and have a glass of wine that’s fine, too,” Ang says.

The cellar door has outdoor seating and bifold doors that connect indoors and out. A lucky few will get the ultimate Tour Down Under view with a glass of Penley in hand.

Open daily, 194 Main Rd, McLaren Vale, penley.com.au