Parallax Organic Vineyard

Eunice and Phil Dunham's Parallax Organic Vineyard sprang into life in 2004, when the couple set about transforming 5.5ha of rough grazing land at Penna into Tasmania's first fully certified organic vineyard and winery. It was challenging. Even management of their vineyard's small flock of sheep needed to be fully compliant with organic standards.

Their 2.2ha of Pinot Noir and Riesling sits on the lower slopes of Pontos Hills, at the south-eastern end of the Coal River Valley. It was once part of an 1820s land grant to a former innkeeper and wine merchant in old Hobart Town. 

Jansz Tasmania's Pontos Hills vineyard and winery developments are located less than 10km north of the Dunhams. Parallax clearly keeps good company.

There is no connection whatsoever between Parallax Organic Vineyard and the single vineyard Parallax wines produced in the Barossa Valley by the Kalleske family.

Gently terraced vineyard slopes here at Penna are characterised by Pre-Cambrian substrates of mudstone over dolerite. Shallow gravelly soils help de-vigour vines and typically result in intense, concentrated fruit flavours at harvest. The shoreline of the Pittwater estuary/lagoon water system is just 600m away and attributes the vineyard with a low to very low frost risk.

Native wildlife and birds - along with pests like European wasps - present the biggest challenges to intensive, hands-on viticulture.

Unlike many of its industry peers, there was no need for a period of conversion from conventional to organic viticulture. Parallax Organic Vineyard has been totally committed to organic practices since its inception. Its groundbreaking accreditation with Australia's leading organic certifier - Australian Certified Organics – was a rigorous process but enabled the Dunhams to establish the practices that have seen them through their two decades of wine-growing challenges.

The absence of synthetic fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides and other synthetic chemicals during vineyard and winery processes ensures Parallax wines are genuinely organic and vegan-friendly.

A welcome perspective.

Key details:

• Phil Dunham: owner/vigneron

• Eunice Dunham: owner/vigneron

Vineyard/cellar door address:

436 Shark Point Rd, Penna TAS 7171

Telephone:

+61 (0) 427 873839

Email:

sales@parallaxvineyard.com.au

Website:

www.parallaxvineyard.com.au

Tasmanian viticulture takes place within a diverse mix of soil types and microclimates.

Climate data* for sites in the Coal River Valley highlight the wide diversity of growing conditions here. Six Friends (MJT 15.9°C; 786 GDD); Pooley Cooinda Vale (MJT 16.8°C; 929 GDD); SISU (MJT 16.8°C; 929 GDD) figure among the coolest sites.

Richmond Park Estate and Strelley Farm Estate (both MJT 18.0°C; 1189 GDD) are considered to be among the warmest, along with Coal Valley Vineyard and Cross Rivulet Winery (both MJT 17.9°C; 1185 GDD).

Vineyard sites on the Australian mainland are far warmer than those in Tasmania.

South Australia's Piccadilly Valley* (MJT 20.4°C; 1730 GDD) and Macedon Ranges* (MJT 19.9°C; 1365 GDD) in Victoria are regarded as the coolest GIs in their respective states.

Climate data* for Penna, 1995-2024:

• Total annual average rainfall: 493mm
• Growing season average rainfall (Oct 1-Apr 30): 290mm
• Average autumn rainfall: 110mm
• Mean January temperature: 17.9°C
• Growing degree-days: 1169 GDD
• Average no of hot days (35°C or more) per year: 0
• Average no of cold days (minimum 4°C or less) Sept 1-April 30: 2

*Source: My Climate View, utilising past data from the Bureau of Meteorology and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. Funded by the Australian Government.

Last page update: January 2026