Dormilona wines was established in 2012 by Josephine Perry and her young family. Jo studied winemaking via correspondence which gave her the chance of doing many vintages abroad. Spending years in Galicia, Spain before returning to Margaret River, Jo started her own venture which gave her the knowledge and experience of the old world vs new world way to handcraft wines, which is how Dormilona was created.
Where do you draw inspiration from when developing a new wine? Does art, music, or other creative forms play a role in your winemaking?
Wines are made by the growing season that has been so a lot of time is put in the vineyard to get the balance of the vine for changing elements. Harvest time is critical to get berries off the vines to then make them into a wine style I am looking for. The inspiration & creating of a wine is done during the whole growing season. It comes from smells, flavours & colours leading up to this period. Therefore I have a seasonal yearly labels for the wines as the world changes.
How do you balance science and creativity in winemaking? Do you see winemaking more as an art or a science, or both?
Winemaking is science & an art form. As you need to need to know how to produce great wine but then listen to the grapes by smelling, touching and feeling what they need at that time. For example, holding the grapes, feeling the tightness of the bunches, feeling the barrels & listening to them tick, smelling & tasting knowing when they are in distress during fermentation or knowing when it’s time to press.
Sustainability is a growing concern in the wine industry. How do you incorporate sustainable practices into your winemaking process?
I have developed a new line of wines under Fangbone – which is a 1L re-usable bottle. Bottling of wines for the season which are market driven. Moving them to bottle shops & establishments around WA. Once enjoyed they can return the bottle where it is washed, steamed & re-bottled. It is at the forefront of my mind constantly as a wine bottle is a single use product. Capsule, label, bottle, divider, carton and sticky tape all goes into the bin. 1600 kilotons of glass is used in Australia each year with only 50% being recycled.
If you weren’t a winemaker, what other creative field do you think you would have pursued?
Gardening, I just love plants.
Name three South West creatives that inspire you and why?
Sarah Hewer – love the way her creative processes with photography are nature driven and developed into fine art.
Holmes à Court – they are restoring the beautiful old Margaret River Hotel into something incredible for everyone to be able to enjoy soon.
Vasse Felix – the new Idée Fixe is keeping them true to land and growing then creating wines at brilliant levels.
