Before Kym Tolley Wine Co. came to the 'Coonawarra Venture' - the test for any winemaker to find their unique wine style direction, Kym explored the dream of developing wine from a vineyard that he planted in Coonawarra – and the wines he produced won over 1,700 Australian and International awards.
It was during this venture that Kym's holistic approach to winemaking began to shine. He knew a successful wine business required a stunning and reliable product; the wine must primarily talk to the customers. The taste will bring them back time and time again, but the stories, the anecdotes and the soul of the whole deal must be such that it draws people in. This includes the label, the bottle, his lasting heritage, and the experience of winemaking. These elements all need to connect with a broad range of new and old customers.
Pictured: Kym Tolley in 1989. The Coonawarra Venture begins.
Kym wanted to make estate-grown fruit that reflected the site and the region. The wine would be cool climate style, elegant and balanced, but it did not shy away from distinct ripe Coonawarra berry notes. This modified his winemaking techniques to fit his vision of Coonawarra.
Like his father, Kym loved Cabernet Sauvignon – but that didn't dampen his enthusiasm for Shiraz. Kym founded his wine creativity on sound science and the valuable experience at Penfolds and set out to create an elegant but tannin-structured wine that screamed the Coonawarra character of ripe fruit and spicy notes with hints of mint.
It is the art of balance that gives the final wine its flair.