Paradise Rescued Founder Director David Stannard has just released his first book “Paradise Rescued – From Cabbage Patch to Cabernet Franc” *. We asked our weekly blog columnist to catch up with David and ask him all the questions that we (and our fans have). We caught up with David in Melbourne preparing for the next visit to Cardan, Bordeaux.
The inspiring panorama across the Paradise Rescued vineyards in Cardan Bordeaux France.
Q: Congratulations on the release of your book – we love it! Tell us why did you decide to write it?
DS: Thank you very much – that’s kind. I can’t tell you that I specifically had a goal to write a book about Paradise Rescued. As I often say, the question that I get asked the most is “How did this all happen? How did Paradise Rescued come about? How did you get started when you live so far away?” It seemed logical therefore to share the story in more detail that our current media allows. So I went to work!
Q: You make it sound easy, as if you simply sat down and started writing?
DS: Well it wasn’t quite that easy. As you read the book you will see that part of the Paradise Rescued success story has been our ability to find and work with some remarkable people who are skilled in their particular field. The same goes with our book. From early contacts made in the business, we had remained in contact with book producer, marketing advisor and author Dixie Maria Carlton of Maria Carlton Pty Ltd. She laid me out a plan of how to get it written and then helped to make it all happen and publish it independently. That plan and advice was a key success factor.
Q: How did the title “Paradise Rescued – From Cabbage Patch to Cabernet Franc” come about?
DS: I wrote the book initially without a title but as it progressed and I talked with Maria, it suddenly emerged from a discussion of ours. Everyone might assume that we hand selected this gorgeous piece of vineyard and it all happened happily ever after. I wish! The first actual block of vineyard that we bought – right in front our property in Cardan, Bordeaux (and our neighbours) – had not received any love not good viticultural attention for a number of years. So in reality it more closely resembled a cabbage patch that a beautiful Bordeaux Cabernet Franc vineyard.
Q: Are there any big themes and messages in the book? Or is it just a nice success story?
DS: Certainly it is a good storybook, starting with a bit of my history and how our family came to own a small home away from home in the Bordeaux vineyards. The story is rich with the beauty of southwest France, its vineyards, wine, scenery, etc. At another level, there is a good bit of my own human development and journey in there. And what and why Paradise Rescued is so important to me and what it says about my life when a number of other things didn’t seemed to be taking me nowhere. And finally there is a business level of learning of how Paradise Rescued came about from a dream to an inspiring motivating Vision and then on into reality as a successful niche wine brand.
Q: Rumour has it, David, that you wrote so much that it couldn’t all fit in one book? Is there likely to be second book sometime?
DS: Well I don’t want to give too much away too soon…. But yes, I just kept on writing! At a certain point in the story, we decided that that would be a great ending point. And we rounded it all off there and then continued in a slightly different style with book two. But still using the Paradise Rescued story as the central thread. I will be finalising the manuscript during my forthcoming long haul flight to Europe, including as always an amazing stop-off in Cardan, Bordeaux. I expect to publish the second book in July this year.
Q: What’s on the priority list when you are in Cardan this time?
DS: The development of our vineyards continues to go very well. After 6 plus years under Paradise Rescued management, the difference is unmistakable. Despite a very wet winter, the vineyards are looking good. So I will be keen to catch up with the team and confirm our plans for the year are on track. As always it will be great to see all of our neighbours and continue to build those relationships that started and continue to sustain our success.
Q: David, thank you. Congratulations again; we wish you and Team Paradise Rescued continued success.
DS: Thank you too. It has been a pleasure. Can I just remind readers that they can download and read the first chapter for free? And Club Paradise Rescued members have access to the first three chapters. I hope everyone loves the book.
* “Paradise Rescued – From Cabbage Patch to Cabernet Franc” is already released in paperbook format and will be available as an e-book from Wednesday 23rd March – USA time!!
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