Gondwana Wines: an Australian wine that gives back
- Written by Summer Ellis
Gondwana Wines, Australia’s first wine company committed to bringing communities together, will launch its 2016 McLaren Vale Shiraz into Liquorland this month.
The socially-conscious wine brand has already seen three years of success in the corporate sphere, developing a community of fans who are committed to closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians while enjoying the fruits of Gondwana Wines’ premium wine blends.
Portions of sales from the forward-thinking wine brand go toward the Leading The Way initiative, which provides innovative training, employment and capacity building programs to benefit Indigenous Australians.
CEO of Gondwana Wines, Alisi Tutuila is also the Chairperson of the Board of the Aboriginal Housing Company (AHC), which founded Leading The Way. She says Gondwana Wines was built on the belief that you cannot achieve social outcomes without commercial ones: “We wanted a way to bring people together over social occasions, while also giving back to the community and bridging the gap. Australians who enjoy a glass of Gondwana Wines value closing the cultural divide, instilling cultural understanding and embracing reconciliation and diversity. ”
A majority-owned Indigenous business, Gondwana Wines also supports Indigenous artists with a separate portion of sales going directly to the indigenous artist whose work features on the label of its lush, premium and balanced wines.
The introductory 2016 McLaren Vale Shiraz label features artwork byBundjalung/Yugambeh artist, Christine Slabb, who says being a part of the Gondwana Wines journey is meaningful for all of Australia: “It’s great to see Gondwana Wines supporting Indigenous artists. Having my artwork, Low Tide, featured on the label means more Indigenous art is seen within the Australian community.”
With a plush, rich and complex full-bodied palate, the Gondwana Wines 2016 McLaren Vale Shiraz captures the true McLaren Vale style; dark chocolate, exotic spices and an amazing depth of rich, dark fruits.
The Gondwana Wines 2016 McLaren Vale Shiraz is available from Liquorland now for RRP$20.00.
About Gondwana Wines
Gondwana Wines is more than just a wine; it’s a community. Produced by Boab Tree Estate Vineyards, Gondwana Wines was launched with a commitment to ‘closing the gap’ between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. A forward-thinking movement built upon quality wine blends and with change in every bottle, part proceeds of sales from Gondwana Wines go toward Indigenous artists and back into the community through not-for-profit programs, such as Leading The Way.
Sold within the corporate sphere for three years, the expansion of the 2016 McLaren Vale Shiraz into Liquorland is Gondwana Wines’ first foray into wider Australian availability. Gondwana Wines is also sold in China, and is currently looking to expand into the United Kingdom and United States of America.
Gondwana Wines 2016 McLaren Vale Shiraz
The dense crimson-purple colour forebodes a plush, rich and complex full-bodied palate full of dark fruits meshed perfectly with dark chocolate and exotic spices. The tannins are silky and long with a round texture to give excellent persistence.
About Leading The Way
Established by the Aboriginal Housing Company (AHC), a core focus of Leading the Way is to encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to enhance their career paths through further education, training, and employment opportunities, by offering assistance, scholarships, foundational studies, apprenticeships, and student accommodation.
About Alisi Tutuila, Gondwana Wines CEO
Alisi Tutuila hails from the Worimi tribe and is a highly respected figure in the indigenous community. Serving as the Chairperson of the Board for the Aboriginal Housing Company (AHC), Tutuila has been responsible for implementing mentoring programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in educational institutions as well as the workforce. Alisi saw immense value in launching Gondwana Wines from the simple idea it would showcase Indigenous art, bring people together and give back to her Indigenous community.
