Richard McLeod, owner of Ayers House Events in collaboration with his brother-in-law Matt Koch an award-winning McLaren Vale winemaker wish to honour Richard’s 5 times Great Grandfather who through war and turmoil became Australia’s first wine maker 220 years ago.

This wine making project cuts out the middleman, thus allowing Ayers House to provide a high-quality wine produced for its clients at an “entry level” price.

The Story behind the wines

The quintessential Australian larrikin has French roots.

Antoine L’Andre & cousin, Francois de Riveau from Nantes had been captured while raiding British ships for Napoleon on the Privateer “La Vengeance”

The now POW Frenchmen somehow convinced their British captors of their skill as “vignerons extraordinaries”, thus gaining their freedom, a trip to New South Wales, and a wage.

Antoine, the charmer met Ann on board the “Royal Admiral” after her convict husband died during the voyage to Sydney. Arriving in1800 he quickly married Ann and set to work planting upwards of 12,000 vine cuttings on the side of a hill behind Government House, Parramatta

After three years of toil the first ever Australian wine was made and the first ever wine review was penned. Governor King wrote to his superiors in London “They attempted last year to make wine from some of the best grapes that could be collected, but it turned out so bad, that I shall not trouble Your Lordship with the sample” Antoine did however make a mean Peach Cyder.

Francois, the rebel was deported from the colony in 1804 after being linked to the Castle Hill Convict upraising deemed too dangerous to stay in a penal colony.

Antoine, now with the anglicised surname, Landers is arguably the longest French blood line in Australia.

The Governor and His Lordship would approve.