The Dictionary of Australasian Biography/Castella, Paul de
Castella, Paul de, the pioneer of viticulture in Victoria, was born in Switzerland, and emigrated to Melbourne in 1849. In the following year he purchased the Yering cattle station, where in 1856 he planted the first vineyard in Victoria, Mr. Castella in 1859 imported plant necessary for the cellar and ten thousand vines, half of which were Sauvignon and two thousand La Folle (the grape used for making the best Cognac), the latter of which were all failures. The produce of the Yering vineyard is now well known in the Australian wine market.