Petrichor Wines

Vineyards have a habit of changing people's lives. For New South Wales couple Tim Hodgkinson and Kate Akmentins, that day came when they began Petrichor at Tea Tree in the spring of 2018. It was the realisation of a shared love of Tasmanian lifestyle, mutual respect for biodynamics, and a deep-seated passion for small batch wines.

A chance visit to the island to celebrate a wedding anniversary first piqued their senses back in 2006. Hodgkinson and Akmentins waited eight patient years before finally moving from Sydney with their three young daughters to search for land on which to build their dream.

In 2017, the couple purchased a 10ha property on Rosewood Lane in the Coal River Valley. The site offered a northerly aspect, all-day sunshine, steep slopes, and gravelly/volcanic soils. Just about ideal for premium, cool climate grape-growing in these parts but a tough gig to manage.

The Coal River Valley sits in a rain shadow and is consistently one of the State's driest agricultural regions. Warm dry northerlies during growing and ripening seasons help sustain low humidity and reduce disease risk – critically important for successful organic farming.

As biodynamic newbies, the couple soon joined Biodynamics Tasmania. They also sought practical know-how and advice from biodynamics viticulturist, Mark Hoey (Specialized Vineyard Services). With the help of family, friends and neighbours, the Tea Tree site became a home to almost 2ha of close-planted vines: Grüner Veltliner (0.1ha), Gamay (0.1ha), Pinot Noir (0.7ha) and Shiraz (1.0ha).

The vineyard integrates polyculture with orchard fruits and companion crops to enhance biodiversity and sustainability. Traditional farming techniques – including composting – are supported by carefully scheduled biodynamic practices and the application of natural homeopathic preparations, including horn manure (500) and horn silica (501).

Petrichor's first biodynamic single vineyard wine from the Rosewood Lane estate was produced in 2024. It was released for sale in September 2025. Previous wine releases – from vintage 2017 and onwards – were either partly or wholly supported by fruit purchased from a neighbouring 20-year-old vineyard.

The couple's stylish table wines are bottled with wax seals and minimal sulphur, reflecting their commitment to minimal intervention, natural winemaking.

Right now, cool-climate wine enthusiasts will need to await further transformations. The current, periodic trickles of new products into the market isn't about become a flood any time soon. 

Petrichor is the scent of rain on dry ground. 

Be prepared to follow your nose.

Key details:

• Tim Hodgkinson: owner/vigneron
• Kate Akmentins: owner/vigneron

Vineyard/cellar door address:

41 Rosewood Lane, Tea Tree TAS 7017

Telephone:

+61 (0) 422 437 449

Email:

• tim@petrichorwines.com.au
• kate@petrichorwines.com.au 

Website:

www.petrichorwines.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 Rosewood Lane, 1995-2024:

• Total annual average rainfall: 519mm
• Growing season average rainfall (Oct 1-Apr 30): 287mm
• Average autumn rainfall: 108mm
• Mean January temperature: 17.5°C
• Growing degree-days: 1074 GDD
• Average no of hot days (35°C or more) per year: 1
• Average no of cold days (minimum 4°C or less) Sept 1-April 30: 19

*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