Penkridge Farm
Penkridge Farm is Central Otago through and through, but PJ and Justine have Dunedin in their story, and we've crossed paths at a few kids parties over the years through mutual friends. Lovely people, a gorgeous place, and some beautiful wines.
The story of Penkridge Farm is one of those that unfolds the more you dig into it.
PJ's family goes back five generations in the region, to the pioneering days of Wanaka, hoteliers, shopkeepers, farmers and now winegrowers. The name itself ties back to Penkridge Downs, the sheep station PJ grew up on with his brother and sister, which was named by his grandfather after a small market town in England, the place he left behind when he immigrated to New Zealand. The land for the vineyard was chosen, at least in part, because it looks out across Lake Dunstan toward the hills of that same station, which is still in the Davis family today.
PJ and Justine met in Dunedin, and Justine grew up just down the road in Alexandra. PJ eventually proposed (and yes, Justine has a lot to say about that "eventually") right on the block of land that would become the vineyard, and they celebrated their wedding amongst the vines. Life then took them overseas, as it does, but a chance meeting in Chicago of all places brought them back to Otago, back to where it all started.
Now they're raising their family here, with little Jack arriving early and adding to the chaos of launching a new wine label, and building something that feels deeply rooted in this place. Nestled at the foot of the Pisa Range, the vineyard sits alongside the Mahaka Katia conservation reserve, with a small flock of sheep, a very significant population of rabbits, and a philosophy of growing fruit simply and with minimal impact.
Their winemaker is Matt Connell, who is well regarded in Central Otago and based just down the road. Matt spent four years in Oregon's Willamette Valley developing a real passion for pinot noir before returning to the region in 2005. His approach is hands-off, letting the vineyard speak for itself, with careful attention to timing the harvest at exactly the right moment. The first Penkridge wines were released in 2024, and by all accounts this is a label worth watching from the very beginning.
