Australia's First Families of Wine

Written by respected writer and journalist Richard Allen, with captivating photography by Kim Baker, Australia's First Families of Wine is a stunning 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 5,000 hectares under vine 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 beautifully 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.

The vivid, stunning photography of sprawling vineyards, cellars, wineries and photos from the family archives brings these stories together, and with a foreword by Australia's leading wine commentator, James Halliday AM, this book is a 'must have' for any wine lover.

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, 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."

Richard Allen has been a writer for more than 30 years and has written on a wide variety of subjects for The Australian Financial Review, The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, Good Weekend, Sunday Telegraph (UK) and BRW. His previous books include Shimmering Spokes: One Australian's 16,000 Kilometre Odyssey, Recollections of a Remarkable Age, Australia's Remarkable Trees, The Spirit of Golf and How It Applies to Life, Great Properties of Country Victoria: The Western District's Golden Age and The Royal Melbourne Golf Club"125 Years.

Kimbal Baker is a Melbourne-based freelance photographer with more than thirty years' experience. His images have been published in many Australian and overseas publications, and he has worked for Agence France-Presse and ACP publications. His previous books include Grammar, The Capital Golf Club, The National Golf Club, Australia's Remarkable Trees and Great Properties of Country Victoria: The Western District's Golden Age.

Australia's First Families of Wine
Melbourne University Publishing
RRP: $69.99