Dawson & James

Peter Dawson and Tim James are winemakers who have always been driven by quality and innovation. The two friends met in Adelaide in 1976: Peter Dawson was a 21-year-old science student from Geelong whose first job in the wine sector was as a cellar hand with Thomas Hardy & Sons, working at their Mile End winery, where Tim James was the Production Winemaker.

They struck up a remarkable friendship that has spanned three decades, working t...

Our grapes are grown on the Meadowbank vineyard, approximately 60 kms northwest of Hobart. Its rugged topography is bounded by the fast flowing, pristine waters of the Derwent River.

Property owners Gerald and Sue Ellis established the first plantings in 1974 and the vineyard holds a special place in the history of Tasmanian viticulture. The late Stephen Hickinbotham recognised early the potential of cool climate viticulture on the site...

Vintage 2011. As our site is protected from extreme rain events, the 2011 harvest was uninterrupted by the falls that caused havoc elsewhere in Australia. In fact, total rainfall for the two months preceding harvest was only 54 mm, 36% less than the average for the region. Both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir were picked in the third week of April in beautiful condition with bright fruit flavours.

As the 2011 wines developed in barrel, we we...