Australia’s First Families of Wine (AFFW), eleven of Australia’s oldest and most respected family-owned, multi-generational wineries, are excited to announce its very first hardcover book out through Melbourne University Publishing, just in time for Christmas.
Written by respected writer and journalist Richard Allen, with captivating photography by Kim Baker, Australia’s First Families of Wine is a luxury title celebrating these iconic and important wine families and the vineyards and businesses they have built. Brown Brothers, Tahbilk, Campbells, Yalumba, Henschke, d’Arenberg, Tyrrell’s, Taylors, Jim Barry, McWilliams, and Howard Park are all household names. With more than 5000 hectares under vines across sixteen wine-growing regions around Australia, these are the families who make many of the country’s most iconic wines.
Out November 1, Australia’s First Families of Wine also showcases the colourful histories of these spectacular vineyards and historic buildings, exploring the wine industry’s transformation into an export-earning powerhouse and detailing the challenges of taking old family businesses into the 21st century.
Seasoned writer Richard Allen was thrilled to be the writer behind the project. “Exploring the challenges and opportunities of the Australian wine industry through the stories of these eleven families was a dream job. Many current owners are the fourth, fifth or sixth generations to run their family companies, which is quite an achievement in itself. They tell rich tales of courage, audacity, imagination, focus, and persistence by their forebears. The families have lived through good times and bad, but – importantly – are all still here making wine for Australian and growing international markets.”
Chairman of AFFW and fifth-generation winemaker Stephen Henschke, said, “It is now a decade since our families came together to help build the profile of premium Australian wine and tell the stories behind every bottle of wine we craft. This book encapsulates our families’ stories perfectly and the reader is taken behind the scenes and into our homes. It is a celebration of our 10-year anniversary with a nod to the next chapter of Australia’s First Families of Wine.”
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