Jacinta shortlisted for prestigious award

Balnaves of Coonawarra senior winemaker Jacinta Jenkins has been announced as a finalist for the prestigious Halliday Winemaker of the Year Award for 2025.

Halliday Wine Companion, one of the leading authorities on Australian wine, released its shortlist for its 2025 Halliday Wine Companion Awards earlier this month.

This nomination highlights Jacinta’s exceptional skills in winemaking and is recognition of the Balnaves team’s ongoing commitment to grape growing and winemaking from their vineyards at the southern end of the famous Coonawarra strip.

Jacinta, better known as JJ, began her wine journey with a BSc in Biochemistry (Hons) at Monash University, before working vintages in Australia (Balnaves, Wynns, Sons of Eden) and internationally (Ch. St Michelle, Washington State USA; Craggy Range, Hawke’s Bay NZ; Dr Loosen, Mosel Valley Germany; Penner-Ash Wine Cellars, Oregon USA).

To consolidate her considerable winemaking experience, Jacinta studied Viticulture and Oenology at the University of Adelaide, then worked as Assistant Winemaker at Pikes Wines in the Clare Valley.

Having grown up in Coonawarra, Jacinta returned home in 2018 to work with Balnaves winemaker of 25 years, Peter Bissell. Upon Pete’s retirement in 2020, Jacinta was promoted to the top job.

“I am deeply honoured to be shortlisted for the Halliday Winemaker of the Year Award,” Jacinta said. “This nomination reflects the hard work and dedication of the entire team at Balnaves of Coonawarra. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with such a talented group of individuals who share a passion for creating exceptional grapes and wines.”

Halliday Winemaker of the Year Award judge Campbell Mattinson said Jacinta was Coonawarra through and through.

“And it shows in the wines that she’s making at Balnaves – her wines are elegant, authentic, balanced; there’s nothing forced about them, which leaves the region to shine through. In other words, she does her region proud,” he said.

Established in 1975 by Doug and Annette Balnaves, Balnaves of Coonawarra remains a family-owned wine company in the heart of the famous Coonawarra wine region, in South Australia’s Limestone Coast. Balnaves of Coonawarra specialise in premium Cabernet Sauvignon from their four vineyard sites in the region.

JJ’s nomination follows numerous awards for the Balnaves team, including the 2005 Qantas Gourmet Traveller WINE Winemaker of the Year Award for Pete Bissell.

Balnaves has been a James Halliday 5 Star Rated Winery for 20 consecutive years.

Balnaves of Coonawarra viticulturist Pete Balnaves said JJ’s nomination was a proud moment for the Balnaves team.

“Being shortlisted for this award is a testament to JJ’s expertise, creativity and ongoing pursuit of quality. It recognises JJ as a leading figure in the industry,” Pete said.

“It is also recognition of our long term vision in our vineyard to maximise our micro-climates, soils and wine clones to produce grapes of incredible flavour and quality.”

Outside of her winemaking commitments, JJ is involved with the Penola Coonawarra Arts Festival, volunteers for local community organisations, is involved with the Rural Ambassador program for SA Country Shows and plays football for Penola.

Judging for the awards was conducted in March over two days, where winners were determined collaboratively by the full tasting team in a blind tasting. This year the tasting team reviewed more than 7500 wines across more than 1100 wineries.

The tasting team includes founder James Halliday, chief editor Campbell Mattinson, Dave Brookes, Jane Faulkner, Jeni Port, Marcus Ellis, Mike Bennie, Philip Rich, Shanteh Wale, and Toni Paterson MW.

The winner of the Halliday Winemaker of the Year Award will be announced at the annual Halliday Wine Companion Awards ceremony on August 7.