How did it all begin….

Casella Wines founders, Filippo and Maria Casella, immigrated to Australia in the late 1950s and began their winemaking careers in 1969 at Yenda, in the Riverina region of New South Wales.

Recognising the potential of the region, Filippo purchased a farm in the town of Yenda, New South Wales, in 1965. When Filippo and his wife Maria immigrated to Australia, they brought hopes, dreams and grape-growing and winemaking know-how aquired through three generations of Italian heritage.

Even in the early years, Casella family wine was much more than something you drank with dinner - it was something you shared with family and friends. Filippo was passionate about his wine and enjoyed sharing it. He knew how much hard work, cooperation and skill went into making a great wine and he instilled this knowledge into each of his children. It's an approach the Casella family stay true to today.

In the beginning, the Casella family sold grapes from their farm to local wineries but in 1969 Filippo decided it was time for a new generation to put their winemaking skills to use, and the winery was born.

Casella is still very much a family business, with the second and third generations all involved in this extraordinary success story. From humble beginnings, the Casella family has become Australia's greatest wine exporter.

The day-to-day operations of the winery are run by the three Casella sons - John, Managing Director and Winemaker; Joe, Australian Sales Director; and Marcello, Director and Vineyard Operations Director.

Casella Wines shot to the forefront of the export arena in mid 2000 with its hugely successful [yellow tail] brand. [yellow tail] was created with a simple philosophy in mind - to make a great wine that everybody can enjoy. The Casella family believe [yellow tail] is everything a great wine should be - fresh, approachable and flavoursome, with a personality all of its own!

In the initial stages, Casella Wines concentrated predominantly on the export market, and is now a key player in Europe, Asia, the UK, the US and Canada. In September 2003, Casella launched into the Australian market with [yellow tail], which has been a remarkable success on home turf.