Bob & Salena Franchitto
NATURAL SUCCESS
As one of Australia’s highest-volume organic grape growers, vigneron Bob Franchitto has helped shine a global spotlight on Riverland wine. It all started with a single barrel.
In the heart of the vast, sun-drenched Riverland wine region, Bob Franchitto is making medal-winning wines. He and the team at Salena Estate – named after Bob’s daughter – export their wines around the world, including to China, the US and Sweden. In 2009, they converted around half the property to organics, and today, Salena Estate is one of Australia’s largest producers of organic red wine.
Starting small, going global
The Franchitto family’s international wine company started with a single barrel. After Bob and his wife Sylvia planted vines on their new property in the Riverland in the 1990s, Bob made a barrel of wine to share with friends. The next year he made three barrels and the year after that, 30. That’s when he and Sylvia decided to get serious, launching Salena Estate in 1998.
“I always thought that the Riverland could make better wines than what it was making then, and that was my main drive when we started,” says Bob. “And I think we proved that from the first year.”
In the heart of the Riverland, the team at Salena Estate grow, make and bottle wine onsite – from full-flavoured Chardonnay to rich Cabernet Sauvignon.
“We strive to make better wines every year,” says Bob. “It’s a never-ending process; we try to keep reinventing ourselves and continuing to build the reputation of the Riverland.”
Although the Riverland is the largest wine-producing region in the country, it hasn’t had the prestige of places like the Barossa Valley. But things are changing, thanks to passionate producers like Bob.
“I think the Riverland could make as good a wine as anywhere in Australia,” says Bob. “We have fantastic weather and a great river. You can grow consistent fruit. We’ve got some great wineries popping up now and we make some great wines.”
Looking ahead, Bob hopes the wine estate’s future lies with family. His daughter Salena joined the business as Marketing Manager a few years ago, and son Tyrone has worked as a cellar hand.
“The main challenge for me now is to bring our business into the next generation and see our brand continue to grow,” says Bob. “If we can keep it going for the children, I’ll be pretty content with life.”
“We strive to make better wines every year, and to continue building the reputation of the Riverland wine region.”
– Bob Franchitto
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