A sense of belonging and a feeling of place are essential in any fine wine narrative. Being steeped in a truth and anchored into something real cannot be invented. ‘*The heart and soul of Australian wine*’, the banner headline of Australia’s First Family of Wines, captures an intent to differentiate a group of family-owned wine producers from Australia’s powerful corporate winemakers. Taylors Wines, who belong to this group, says on its website ‘Alongside twelve other winemaking families of Australia, we represent a cohesive voice for the mastery, passion and legacy that form the foundations of the Australian wine industry. And we use this voice to encourage the future of Australian wine, and ensure that the real story of our nation’s most iconic wines are always shared.’ These goals are important and necessary but, already, marketing falsehoods are appearing. Although it is an admirable and important coalition, The First Family of Wines does not really form the foundation of the Australian wine industry; nor does it sit on its own at the apex of Australia’s fine wine aristocracy. There are many other families and individuals whose stories and wines are inextricably linked to the history of Australian wine, some of which are almost unknown. For instance, in 1903, the Fowler family owned the largest vineyard in South Australia. The Kalimna Vineyard was sold in 1945 to Penfolds because the family could no longer carry on after losing a son during the war. Opportunistic marketing, a feeling of entitlement and a lack of knowledge is a theme that pervades and blurs the bloodlines of Australian fine wine. Is it not a responsibility to acknowledge those who came before us? First Family of Wines member Yalumba does this brilliantly with its Signature Series Cabernet Shiraz. Peter Lehmann and many other old hands are honoured in this way. At Wolf Blass, the multi Jimmy Watson award-winning winemaker John Glaetzer has been engineered out of the narrative. During the 1980s, the Penfolds marketing team glossed over the history-making efforts of Ray Beckwith. There is a roll call of great Australian wine visionaries that are completely forgotten. Luck plays such a huge part in our lives. On that 7th September, 1940, Dick Reynell had been recalled to Hawker’s but he opted to stay with 43 Squadron until the end of that day’s flying. That evening, 348 bombers, escorted by 617 fighters, crossed the Channel, against which stood some 20 Spitfires and Hurricanes. After harrying the enemy through to the south-eastern suburbs of London, Dick got into a tangle with a Bf109, and at about 5 p.m. over Blackheath, his Hurricane was blown into three pieces. Gloria Finis .
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