John Casella: Mellow, with hints of spice and acidity
John Casella seems the antithesis of the swashbuckling multimillionaire. More bashful than brash, he is practically mute as he sits down at a dim, sparsely attended Toronto restaurant.
So it comes as a surprise when, several minutes later, he casually drops into the conversation that he has been accused of providing guns to police officers in Papua New Guinea so they could better protect his family’s business interests in the country.
My dinner companion runs Casella Wines Pty. Ltd. of Australia, a name that means nothing to most Canadians until one speaks of its most important brand: Yellow Tail. Mr. Casella’s operation pumps out 144 million bottles a year of the stuff, which is the most heavily imported wine in Canada, popular with consumers for being cheap without tasting cheap. Soon after our meal, it will also be responsible for my raging hangover.