Interview with Demetrio Zema [transcript] Interviewer: Rob Linn

Demetrio Zema was born in Calabria Italy on 28 July 1932. His father and grandfather had vineyards and made wine just for the family. His fiancee Francesca came to Australia in 1958 and Demetrio came in 1959. They were married in Penola in 1959. He talks about the early days in the Coonawarra, bought his first land in 1973, used a milk tanker to make wine, bought more land in 1982 and 1988. Ken Ward made the wine. Demetrio believes red wine is the one real wine. He was a painter during the day and made wine at night in the 1970s. He started the Beefsteak and Burgundy Club in the Coonawarra and is now a life member. In 1984 he won Wine of the Year at the Sydney Wine Expo. He now has 60 acres, makes wine from his own grapes and has no trouble selling it. He only likes full bodied wine, sells some to Europe, still prunes by hand and wants his winery to stay in the family

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