Did you hear the one about the Englishman who accidentally created an award winning organic winery in the south of France...?
It's Quite a Story!
When petro-chemical engineer David Stannard purchased a small holiday villa in Bordeaux back in 1992, he never dreamed that one day he would be the accidental creator of a globally successful, organic, boutique winery brand. A 'home away from home' retreat from his 'regular life' running a petrochemical plant seemed like paradise, but when changes in the land zoning and a subsequent property development avalanche threaten the rural sustainability of 'his' centuries old village, he felt strongly that had a duty to maintain the local heritage. And so it came to be that his back yard, 'with a few old grape vines and a scruffy bit of dirt' became a vineyard, restored to its former glory and added to square metre by square metre until finally in 2010, their first vintage was harvested.
The following year, disaster struck the tiny winery and the Paradise Rescued team had to rally and rebuild. Going on to win awards for the wine, and international business and marketing awards for the business too, David shares how he stumbled onto his life's legacy, gathered an exceptional team together, and became a wine maker, and started selling into New York restaurants. All while he continued to live in Australia, running a business that is about as far away from wine as it's possible to be. Paradise Rescued is David's personal wine story of how his tiny former cabbage patch was transformed into an award winning international success - in many ways beating the French at their own game. Trial and error, but above all, the community of Cardan in Bordeaux came together to create something truly unique.
A wine story from France that is truly unique, and best enjoyed while sipping a delicious glass of red wine overlooking the grapes of France - this book will transport you there.
David was born and educated in England, qualifying as a Chemical Engineer from Birmingham University in 1980. He has had a successful leadership career in the petrochemical industry in the UK, Netherlands and Australia covering more than 30 years. Together with his family, he purchased a small holiday villa property in Cardan, Bordeaux in 1992 which served as a family "home away from home" for many years before changes in land rezoning and a resultant avalanche of property development in the village placed a consequent potential threat to the family property and ongoing heritage of the village. The time for action had arrived and working closely with the community and neighbours, the family purchased the surrounding vineyard land in order to sustain it as an organically managed high quality vineyard. Vineyard management operations commenced in January 2010. SAS Paradise Rescued was formed in 2011 as the operational company to manage the vineyards, produce and market the wines to high quality international markets. Today a dedicated and passionate team take care of each section of the operation from vine to wine and onto market and brand. Brand Paradise Rescued is increasingly recognised as a niche ultra premium micro wine brand. David is 'the Vision Guy' and is both a passionate speaker and author.
