Bill and Andrew Calabria were impressed by the wine offered by Ricky Ponting (inset). Photo: Oliver Jacques.
A unique partnership between a long-standing Griffith winemaking family and a cricket legend is expected to flourish as next summer’s Ashes approaches, says winery sales and marketing manager Andrew Calabria.
Calabria Family Wines became the exclusive Australian distributor of Ponting Wines – founded by Ricky Ponting and winemaker Ben Riggs – in October 2024.
“My first thought was this was probably just Ricky putting his name on a label and selling some booze,” Mr Calabria said.
“But our initial consultations with the Ponting family showed they were building towards something long-term; he was heavily involved and hands-on. There was a focus around Tasmania wines where he’s from.
“We fell in love with his story and the way him and his wife Rianna see the future of his wines. For the Calabria family to be in partnership with Ricky is something really exciting.”
Since its launch in 2020, Ponting Wines has bowled over the critics, earning more than 50 gold medals at domestic and international shows.
“The wines speak for themselves; the quality is really high,” Mr Calabria said.
“There are different tiers and price points – the chardonnay and pinot noir are Tasmanian products and most of the reds are from Mclaren Vale [in South Australia], which are a heavier and broader variety.”
Ricky and his wife Rianna are heavily involved in the business. Photo: Ponting Wines Facebook.
Ricky Ponting is one of Australia’s greatest ever cricketers, having scored 13,378 runs in 168 Tests, including 41 centuries.
He says he’s been a wine lover ever since he married his wife Rianna and has worked on developing his own brand post-retirement.
“My family are excited to partner with another family-owned wine business in the Calabria Family Wine Group,” Mr Ponting told the publication Drinks Trade.
“We see obvious synergies and clear opportunities for Ponting Wines, as we look to continue our growth. We look forward to working closely with the Calabria family.”
Mr Calabria says it’s the right time to work with the Ponting family, with the England cricket team set to tour Australia from November 2025 to January 2026.
“Despite the wine industry challenges, we have the Ashes at the end of the year. We’re starting to see strong levels of engagement of the wines being sold into the market,” he said.
“Ricky is known all over the cricket world and has promoted his wines in India and the United States. Going into summer this year, we’re excited about the momentum we’re seeing. We hope to get Ricky down to Griffith for a visit. It’s going to be an interesting year with Cricket Australia; the timing is perfect for this partnership.”
Calabria Family Wines was founded in Griffith by Francesco and Elisabetta Calabria more than 80 years ago. Their son Bill (Andrew’s father) remains heavily involved in the business.
Bill’s eldest granddaughter Sophie Calabria became the fourth generation to join the family wine company when she took up a marketing role for them in 2023.
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