BENOIT & FRANCIS

My Dad is the owner of a winery in France. It probably looks very glamorous but it comes with a lot of sacrifices.

Being a winemaker is not a 5 to 9 job but its more of a life style. The all family is involved in the process. Dad was on the road all the time doing wine shows and seeking new customers to get the business going. He did not really see my brother and I growing up and we missed on heaps of quality time. When we had the chance to spend some time together, at home or on holidays, the time we spent together was unforgettable.

Unfortunately when I was a teenager, we grown apart and struggle to understand each other. I knew that the family business was very important but I was missing hanging out with him.

As I grown into an adult I realised that we were not so different, actually we are very similar in a lot of ways. I now understand the sacrifices he made for us and I respect him so much for it. He always believed in me and respected my decision even if I made mistakes. I never felt the pressure of taking over the family business and he always pushed me to take on the next adventure even if he didn't understand what the hell i was doing.

When I took the decision to come over to Australia he supported me 100%. Now that I am living so far away from him, we reconnected and developed a very strong bond based on the simple things of life. We speak very regularly on the phone or on skype about every day life, future and our family. When he came down to visit at the start of the year we spent 24-7 together and we had the best time ever.

My dad taught me very important values; family, respect and hard work. I will not be the man that I am today if he was not in my life. I can never thank him enough and I love him.

~ Benoit