December 7 - 13, 2022 By CORAL COOKSLEY A DREAM came true for Pennyweight Winery’s Stephen Morris when he started a 10-acre vineyard from scratch 40 years ago, that now yields exceptional grapes for producing its wines. The fourth-generation winemaker from the Morris family with their more than 160-year-old winemaking history, had been indecisive about a career in his younger years and although he grew up in the wine industry, he eventually realised what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. Stephen’s great grandfather George Francis Morris started a vineyard in Rutherglen in 1860, his grandfather Charles Hugh Morris created Morris Wines at Mia Mia vineyard in Rutherglen at the turn of the century while his father Frederick was a Morris Wines partner at Mia Mia until the winery’s sale in 1970. “All I wanted to do was grow grapes and make wine and it was a wonderful thing to get to that point,” Stephen said. On the hunt for land meeting the right grape growing conditions, Stephen said Beechworth had been climatically attractive with its cool climate, and he and his wife Elizabeth moved to the town in 1977. “It was in June, and we couldn’t find suitable land, so we bought a house in town and I kept a lookout for property with specific requirements including rich soil and having a north east aspect until eventually we discovered the land where we are today,” he said. Ensuring environmental best practice in caring for the land, the certified organic and biodynamic vineyard named after the nearby Pennyweight Flat gold field discovered in 1852 was established five years after Stephen and Elizabeth moved to Beechworth with this year marking its 40-year anniversary. “It’s proved to be an excellent area for table and other more elegant style white wines with the soil and climate,” Stephen said. A 10-acre vineyard - also a certified organic and biodynamic one - established in Rutherglen which is a region well-known for its fortified wines is named Sun Low Kee who bought land in 1918 for a market garden, where Pennyweight’s grapes are grown for its ports, muscat, sherries, Durif and Shiraz.
■
Continued page 6
Living the dream at Pennyweight’s
◆ FAMILY AFFAIR: Pennyweight Winery’s Morris family Danielle with one-year-old son Elliot, Elizabeth and Stephen, and Steve with three-yearold daughter Louisa. PHOTO: Coral Cooksley
YOUR GARDEN DEN
ANIMAL CARE
WINE TALK
YOUR HEALTH
GONE E FISHING ING
with HELEN
with RSPCA
with ANITA
with TERESA
with ROBBIE
Business Accounts Community-focused banking that supports your success Visit bankwaw.com.au for full terms and conditions. BankWAW is the registered business name held by WAW Credit Union Co-Operative Ltd.
bankwaw.com.au