The history of Penley dates back to 1858 when The Phoenix Winemaking and Distilling Company was established at Stepney. During 1888 the company name was changed to Tolley Scott Tolley and remained with the family until 1960. Tolley's great grandson Kym re established T.S.Tolley as Penley in 1988. Phoenix is a reference to the re emergence of Tolley winemaking traditions and enduring Coonawarra vineyards. Dominated by Cabernet fruit characters, bramble and cassis, Phoenix offers a generosity and structure that's distinctly Coonawarra.

The value and quality of Coonawarra was first recognised by D. A. Tolley who was a purveyor of oak barrels and winemaking gear in 1908, where he gained access to the wines of Coonawarra. To quote from early Tolley records, Coonawarra wines were distinctly different, dark purple in colour, they exuded a lovely perfume whilst fermenting. Nothing has changed. Phoenix is an early drinking Coonawarra Cabernet treated to an open fermentation in traditional heading down vessels, followed by a regimen of barrel ferments to achieve balance and integration. The completed wine are treated to an extended maturation in a selection of new and prior use French oak barriques.