Pre-order
1
of
1
Mary Penfold
The inspiring true story of the pioneering business genius and the birth of Australian wine
Brief Description
The inspiring story of Mary Penfold, the mother of the Australian wine industry - a self-taught vintner and business genius who emigrated to a frontier settlement and built her family's small vineyard into one of the world's most respected winemakers. Bestselling author and biographer Grantlee Kieza...
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$3999
Unit price
/
Unavailable
Pre-order
Releases
29th
September 2026
(Approx. Date)
Pre-order "Mary Penfold" now to secure your copy from our first shipment
Found a better price? Request a price match
Mary Penfold
$3999
Unit price
/
Unavailable
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
still learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Description
The inspiring story of Mary Penfold, the mother of the Australian wine industry - a self-taught vintner and business genius who emigrated to a frontier settlement and built her family's small vineyard into one of the world's most respected winemakers.
Bestselling author and biographer Grantlee Kieza turns his focus to the birth of the Australian wine industry and the mother, business leader, and pioneering vintner, Mary Penfold, who grew her garden vineyard into a world-renowned wine empire.
Closely related to one of the world's wealthiest families, Mary was a new mother when she packed up her baby daughter and left all the comforts of her seaside home in England in 1844 to follow her husband Dr Christopher Rawson Penfold as he chased his dream of starting a new life in the infant colony of South Australia.
Mary and Christopher settled on a farm in the Adelaide Hills, and as Christopher made his rounds visiting patients on horseback, Mary and her maid Ellen Timbrell tended grapevines that the Penfolds had sourced from the south of France and planted in the garden beside their stone cottage, which they named The Grange.
At first, the wines Mary made were used as tonics for Christopher's patients, but at a time when women were often excluded from commerce and given little recognition for their business endeavours, Mary transformed her cottage industry into an empire. She expanded her vineyard, developed new styles of her product, and built a flourishing company that supplied not only Australia's demand for high-quality wine but thirsty export markets as well.
Wine had been part of the Australian landscape since the First Fleet delivered vines along with the convicts and free settlers to Sydney Cove in 1788, and 'The Commander in Chief', as Mary was affectionately known, helped make the Australian wine industry the envy of the world. Riding her white mare and using her spy glass among the vines to oversee her creation, her brilliance as a vintner and great business mind lives on today with Penfolds Grange being one of the most sought after wines in the world.
PRAISE
'An uplifting tale of dreams and resolution ... A life as rich as the wines Mary worked so hard to make' Sydney Morning Herald
'An inspiring portrait .. A pioneer who proved that women could lead in industry at a time when they were rarely acknowledged' Books+Publishing
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780733343285
Publisher: ABC Books
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 29 September 2026
Country: Australia
Imprint: ABC Books
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Weight: 0g
Pages: 496
Collections
Australian & Pacific History
Biography & Memoir
Business Biographies
Cook Books & Recipes
Cooking & Food
Grantlee Kieza
History & Archaeology
History & Military
Non-Fiction
Political Biographies
Pre-order Biographies
Pre-order Books
Pre-orders
Pre-orders by Release Date
Wine, Cocktails, Tea, Coffee and more
About the Author
Grantlee Kieza OAM is an award-winning journalist and Australia's No. 1 bestselling historical biographer with more than twenty highly acclaimed books to his name. Kieza held senior editorial positions at The Daily Telegraph, The Sunday Telegraph and The Courier-Mail for many years and was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for his writing. He is a Walkley Award finalist, an ABIA shortlisted author for Biography, an Indie Award and Age Book of the Year shortlisted author for Non-fiction. His nationally bestselling biographies include Mary Penfold, Mr and Mrs Gould, Sister Viv, Flinders, The Remarkable Mrs Reibey, Hudson Fysh, Lawson, Banks, Macquarie, Banjo, Mrs Kelly, Monash and Bert Hinkler.
Also by Grantlee Kieza
View all-
Banks
Lust, science, adventure β Joseph Banks and his voyages of discovery Sir Joseph Banks was a man of passion whose influence spanned the globe. A fearless adventurer, his fascination with beautiful women was only trumped by his obsession with the natural world and his lust for scientific knowledge. Fabulously wealthy, Banks was the driving force behind monumental voyages and scientific...Paperback$3400Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips Monday -
Macquarie
A lively and engaging portrait of a towering and complex figure of Australian colonial history. Macquarie by Grantlee Kieza is an in-depth exploration of Lachlan Macquarie, a pivotal figure credited with transforming the penal colony of New Holland into an agricultural powerhouse and a prosperous society. As an egalitarian, Macquarie saw opportunity in former convicts, enabling many to become successful...Paperback$3600Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Mary Penfold
The inspiring story of Mary Penfold, the mother of the Australian wine industry - a self-taught vintner and business genius who emigrated to a frontier settlement and built her family's small vineyard into one of the world's most respected winemakers. Bestselling author and biographer Grantlee Kieza turns his focus to the birth of the Australian wine industry and the mother,...Hardback$5500Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
The Kelly Hunters
The desperate manhunt to bring down Australia's most notorious outlaw When Ned Kelly and his band of young tearaways ambushed and killed three brave policemen in a remote mountain camp in 1878, they sparked the biggest and most expensive manhunt Australia had seen. The desperate search would end when Kelly and his gang, wearing suits of armour, tried to derail...Paperback$3500Elsewhere:$3799Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
The Remarkable Mrs Reibey
The extraordinary story of Mary Reibey - immortalised on the Australian $20 note, Australia's first female entrepreneur and the most powerful woman in colonial history SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2024 INDIE BOOK AWARDS In 1791, teenage runaway and sometime horse thief Mary Reibey narrowly escaped the English gallows with transportation to the brutal new penal colony at Sydney Cove. It was...Paperback$3500Elsewhere:$3799Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Mr and Mrs Gould
The extraordinary story of the famous 'Birdman' John Gould and his talented wife Elizabeth, who revealed the astonishing world of Australian birds and wildlife in one of the most important naturalist expeditions in history - from the bestselling author of Sister Viv, Flinders, Banks, Mrs Kelly and The Remarkable Mrs Reibey. Longlisted for the Indie Book Awards 2025 John and...Paperback$3600Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Annette Kellerman, Australian Mermaid
Champion swimmer, trailblazer, and film idolβthe adventurous life of our first Hollywood superstar, by the bestselling author of Sister Viv, Mrs Kelly, Hudson Fysh, Banks, and Banjo. Born into a daring, musical family in 1886, Annette Kellerman was a force of nature and made for the stageβher first loveβand encouraged to defy social norms from a young age. After being...Paperback$3999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips Monday -
Lawson
The extraordinary rise, devastating fall and enduring legacy of an Australian icon Lawson by Grantlee Kieza captures the heart and soul of Australia and its people with greater clarity and truth than any writer before him. Born on the goldfields in 1867, Henry Lawson became the voice of ordinary Australians, recording the hopes, dreams, and struggles of bush battlers and...Paperback$3500Elsewhere:$3799Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Hudson Fysh
The extraordinary life of the Gallipoli veteran and WWI Flying Corp gunner who founded Qantas and gave Australia its wings By the critically acclaimed author of bestselling biographies of John Monash, Banjo Paterson, Joseph Banks, Lachlan Macquarie, and Henry Lawson, this is a fascinating, lively, and thoroughly researched portrait of a modest, resolute family man with a steady hand during...Paperback$3500Elsewhere:$3799Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Flinders
The extraordinary life, loves and voyages of the man who put Australia on the map, now with a foreword from Flinders' great-great-great-grand-daughters on the 250th anniversary of his birth. In 1810, Matthew Flinders made his final voyage home to his beloved wife, Ann, his body ravaged by the deprivations of years of imprisonment by the French. Four years later, at...Paperback$3600Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Banjo
The remarkable life of Australia's greatest storyteller 'A detailed and sympathetic account ... fascinating' - The Australian A.B. 'Banjo' Paterson is rightly recognised as Australia's greatest storyteller and most celebrated poet, the boy from the bush who became the voice of a generation. He gave the nation its unofficial national anthem 'Waltzing Matilda' and treasured ballads such as 'The Man...Paperback$3400Elsewhere:$3699Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Sister Viv
Shortlisted for the Indie Book Awards 2025, this is the inspiring story of the nursing hero who survived a wartime massacre and dedicated her life to saving others - from the critically acclaimed, bestselling author of Flinders, The Remarkable Mrs Reibey, Hudson Fysh, and Banjo. Shortlist Indie Book Awards 2025 Shortlist ABIA Biography of the Year 2025 Bangka Island, 1942:...Paperback$3600Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks
More from Biography & Memoir
View all-
This Angry Pen of Mine
This Angry Pen of Mine by Layne Staley invites you to dive into the untold creative world of Layne Staley, the legendary voice behind Alice in Chains. This extraordinary collection showcases his handwritten lyrics, deeply personal poetry, stunning original artwork, rare photos, fan tributes, and so much more. Step into the world of Layne Staley like never before. For the...Hardback$7299Elsewhere:$8999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips Monday -
New ReleaseFamesick
Chronicling the tumultuous decade between the premiere of Girls to her 2021 shotgunΒ wedding (minus the baby, because she has no uterus), Lena Dunham takes us through herΒ journey with her trademark mix of humor, unsparing honesty, and keen eye for detail. We peek behind the scenes - of her work, her family, her relationships, and her battle to reclaim her body...Paperback$3299Elsewhere:$3500Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips Monday -
New ReleaseDogs, Boys and Other Things I've Cried About
From the social media superstar behind @SimonSits, Isabel Klee--known for her heartwarming tales of dog rescue--comes an utterly winning memoir about a twentysomething woman's search for true love in New York City and the dogs who helped her find it. A Jersey girl by birth, Isabel Klee had always wanted to live in New York City. At age 20, she...Paperback$3299Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips Monday -
Stakes
Read our interview with author Noelle McCarthy! A darkly funny, sparkling follow-up to the authorβs bestselling memoirΒ Grand. You have to invite him in. You have to want the vampireβs badness in the house with you. Growing up in Catholic Ireland, Noelle McCarthy is captivated by Bram StokerβsΒ Dracula. The vampire is a risk-free fantasy, a suave alternative to the fraught realities...Paperback$3199Elsewhere:$4000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips Monday -
New Release
Built for This
Raised among strong women, butcher's benches, and hard ideas about what men are meant to be, Brad Poulter grows up knowing he's different long before he has the words for it. But in late '90s small-town New Zealand, 'different' isn't discussed, it's managed. Joining the Royal New Zealand Navy offers escape, certainty, and belonging. The rules are clear, the uniform...Paperback$3199Elsewhere:$3799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips Monday -
Even the Good Girls Will Cry
Thanks to a thrown beer bottle and a fan letter to a P.O. box, Melissa Auf der Maur's first band scored an opening slot for the Smashing Pumpkins in her bohemian home town, Montreal. Sensing Melissa's talent, Billy Corgan recommended her to Courtney Love. Whisked from her local scene, Melissa joined Hole just after the deaths of Kurt Cobain and...Paperback$3199Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips Monday -
New ReleaseAn Ocean and a Day
An utterly riveting, moving and poignant memoir of grief and loss that will speak to anyone who's ever lost someone they love. An Ocean and a Day is Hannah Richell's personal account of losing her husband, Matt, in a surfing accident on Tamarama beach in 2014. It is the story of the grief journey she travelled over the first two...Paperback$3199Elsewhere:$3799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips Monday -
New ReleaseA Place to Stand
A Place to Stand by Clare Ward is a profound memoir that delves into the life of a country doctor living and working in the Hokianga Harbour area in the far north of Aotearoa New Zealand. This region is sparsely populated and poses numerous health challenges. This thoughtful account details Clareβs thirty-year career, highlighting the people she works with and...Hardback$3199Elsewhere:$3799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips Monday -
Rule of Lies
Written with all the pace and energy of a John Grisham novel β¦ An incredible true story and a great read! BILL BROWDER, author of Red Notice and Freezing Order An American lawyerβs brilliant, propulsive story of witnessing and playing a part in the transformation of Russia under Yeltsin and Putin. A true tale of fascinating personalities, criminal intrigue, harrowing...Paperback$2999Elsewhere:$3799Unit price /UnavailableBackorderShips late August -
New ReleaseRory
TheΒ New York TimesΒ bestseller The #1Β Irish TimesΒ bestseller The definitive biography of Rory McIlroy, the most important, popular and confounding player of the post-Tiger era. Rory McIlroy contains multitudes. The child of a working-class family from a small town in a war-torn homeland now commutes to work in his own private jet and counts billionaires as confidants. He can overwhelm a golf...Paperback$3699Elsewhere:$4199Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips Monday -
New ReleaseTe Kaikaukau | The Swimmer
Novelist, memoirist and playwright Witi Ihimaera β author of Pounamu, Pounamu and The Whale Rider β decided, at the age of eighty, to dive back into the water and spend a year full-time at Te WΔnanga Takiura, immersing himself in his own language, in te reo MΔori. This book tells the story of this kaikaukau, this swimmer, and his year...Paperback$3500Elsewhere:$4500Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips Monday -
New ReleaseThis Is Me: A Reckoning
This is a searingly honest and moving memoir from double Golden Globe-nominatedactress Hayden Panettiere. Hayden Panettiere has been in front of the camera since before she could talk. She roseto stardom typecasted as Hollywood's blonde girl next door. As a young celebrity,naysayers were certain she would crash and burn. Not one to disappoint, she did.Hayden Panettiere's irreverent memoir satisfies our...Paperback$3200Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips Monday
Why buy from us?
Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!
Service & Delivery
Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.
Auckland Bookstore
We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.
Our Gifting Service
Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.
