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| Bill (far right) and family |
He's won a stack of wine awards, but this is about how a young man fought (he was of course a very good boxer) hard not so much in the ring as in the much rougher arena of business. And what I particularly like is how he has done it very much the family way with his three boys all now playing their roles in the vineyard, cellar and on the hard old sales-trail.
I know he has also been the driving force getting his region of Riverina now respected as a region for good wines.
He says I did that. But I know better. It was Bill who explained to me how the Riverland got its poor wine reputation had how come it had now changed completely.
You see this area was desert until the great Murray Murrumbidgee irrigation scheme enabled it to flower. And to fruit.
But early days they irrigated everything simply by flooding the fields. Not only wasteful but gorged the vines - and their grapes - with water. Result; wines without taste.
Now their vineyards are drip-fed the bare minimum of water (now very expensive water) JUST LIKE VIRTUALLY EVERY OTHER VINEYARD REGION IN AUSTRALIA!
So... It's not surprising they now make wines that are the equal of wines from anywhere in Oz.
Of course it took a hell of a lot of hard work and skill. And a fanatical belief in going for quality and medals.
But the Aussie home market was slow to realise just how good Riverland had become. But we Poms, just liking good grog without predjudice, we locked on to Riverland in a serious way. For years it's been our biggest source of supply.
It was Bill and family wot did it ..... showed the whole region how to do things well.
Salute you for that, old mate.
BILL CALABRIA
"FAMILY BUSINESS OF THE YEAR 2010"
"2009 EXPORTER OF THE YEAR"
"GRIFFITH CITIZEN OF THE YEAR 2010 "
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