De Castella, Francois R.

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Agent TypePersonActivities & OccupationsAuthorsVigneronsHistoryBorn on 16 January 1867, Francois De Castella was the son of Hubert De Castella who emigrated to Australia from Switzerland and established St. Hubert's Vineyard. Francois was educated at Xavier College, College de Fribourg and the University of Lausanne, Switzerland. After studying natural science at Lausanne and wine making in several celebrated French vineyards, he returned to Australia. From 1886 to 1890, Francois managed St Hubert's Vineyard. In 1890, Francois was appointed Junior Viticulturalist for the Victorian Dept. of Agric. After his resignation in 1892, he purchased the Tongala vineyard near Echuca. Fron 1896 to 1906, De Castella managaed Chateau Dookie Vineyard (500 acres of vines) for the Bank of Victoria. At the same time he was selected by the Victorian Government as Special Commissioner to visit Europe and research modern viticultural methods and reconstitution on phylloxera resistant stocks. De Castella was appointed Viticulturalist for the Victorian Dept. of Agriculture in 1908 and became the First President of the Victorian Wine and Food Society. A prolific wine writer, De Castella resigned as the Victorian Viticulturalist in 1936.

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De Castella, Francois R.