Winemaker readies for rebranding

AFTER running Dalwhinnie Wines for more than thirty-five years, David Jones is undergoing something of a revitalisation.

For the past year, the Avoca winemaker has been preparing a new venture under the label David K Jones.

He said despite three years since selling his father’s business to spend more time with his family, the industry has drawn him back in.

“The whole wine, spirits hospitality industry is in my veins, and I really enjoy it. I’m good at it,” he said.

“This is a reinvigoration of my mind and soul and it’s a new challenge. They’re completely different products from Dalwhinnie.”

“For a man to sell his business and go into lockdown, I’m just picking myself up again and gathering my thoughts so I’m really excited to be launching my new brand.”

Mr Jones’ owned Dalwhinnie Wines from 1994, and said their output grew from 15 acres to 50 and a cellar door under his tenure.

The David K Jones label, he said, will harbour a more relaxed, intimate endeavour from a two-acre block in Avoca with plans to plant a chardonnay vineyard.

The brand will debut at the Red Series on Saturday, 30 July, where Mr Jones will showcase four new products borne from collaborations during his Dalwhinnie days.

He said the event will be a great way to mark his return.

“It’s been a while since the last one so this is going to be a really big thing for Ballarat to have this amazing Western Victorian wine party,” he said.

“It just makes a lot of sense to start things there, and it’ll be good to catch up with old friends, clients and customers and meet some new ones.

“All my wines are very quirky. They’ve all got this eccentric story behind them, there’s not one which is made the same as the other which is why they have so much personality.”