The story of how a young architect from Queensland found himself up to his elbows in Tasmanian pinot noir is one that takes some very unexpected, and very wet, detours.
With an architecture degree in his pocket, but no real drive to use it, Brian Franklin found himself on the pristine east coast of Tasmania where he, literally, fell into a career as an abalone diver.
Now abalone diving is a lucrative but lonely pursuit and young Brian found himself shivering underwater for up to eight hours a day. That’s plenty of time for any mind, no matter how cold, to wander.
Brian claims it was too cold to think about sex, so his thoughts turned to the next best thing and after countless hours thinking about it he finally emerged from the sea and threw himself headlong into wine.
The abalone lover’s loss has become an enormous gain for those who appreciate elegance and finesse in chardonnay and pinot noir and wines that express the unique character of this idyllic stretch of coast in Tasmania.