It was two-and-a-half tonnes of Cabernet Franc grapes that did it. Lisa and Justin Jenkins had been toying with the idea of making their own wine, so even though they felt a little green and inexperienced, when they were offered the fruit in 2016 they didn’t turn it down.
Fast-forward to today, and the Jenkins have never been happier. They still don’t own their own vineyards nor grow their own grapes, so the wines they make and the areas the grapes are from change every year. But for them, that’s part of the fun.
They don’t own their own winery either, so for now they’re borrowing one in Cranbourne/Pakenham, right on the Melbourne-Gippsland border. They share the space with the boys from Onannon Wines.