Terry Chellappah and Garry Gosatti met in 1989, and have worked together various brewing, hospitality and wine [ad]ventures over the last 20 years. Bill Crappsley and Terry Chellappah met in 2001, whilst involved in a wine industry [mis]adventure. The story unfolds…
It is said that these 3 guys were bored by what the wine business had become, and that Bill had even been poking around long enough to remember when being a winemaker was fun, and drinking the stuff was good for you......and fun. Lots of it.
One day, Terry said to Garry, "Hey Garry, I've met a guy that says the wine business used to be fun – and he reckons it could still be." Garry dismissed Terry's comment with a familiar wave of his arm.
Undeterred, Terry persisted, "No really – and he's serious!" When Terry eventually introduced Bill to Garry over a really expensive dinner at a really overrated Sydney restaurant, Garry turned to Terry and whispered, "Hey Terry, Bill's a really cool guy. Why haven't we met before?"
Well, meet they did, and together came up with Plan B Wines – this time at a really good restaurant drinking some really good wine that was really expensive. The rest, as they say, is history awaiting discovery.
The Guys at Plan B Wines have a genuine love of wine and make super single vineyard Frankland River wines that are free of corporate taint.
"Errr....maybe I should have gone to school"
Bill Crappsley
The descriptor "legend" is used far too freely in today's vernacular; no more often than in the general direction of Bill Crappsley. Do 43 vintages over 40 years (work that one out for yourself) of premium winemaking really warrant all the fuss? As a prominent US wine journalist recently said of Bill on a Thursday evening, "he's done more vintages than I have had hours of sleep this week". Bill specialises in turning water into wine, and refuses to act his age; for that we are thankful.
"Patience is for those who wait"
Terry Chellappah
Perhaps best known professionally for his heavy collaboration with a hand picked group of totally unknown musicians in the 1992 Perth supergroup "Hanse & The Cronjes". Terry now promotes his delusion of grandeur by playing in iL Fiasco; an orgy of wine industry personalities. In his spare time, Terry researches bars. From a wine perspective, he has done very little to impress to date, but as he intimated in a recent interview in Swimthrough Magazine, he is hoping the Plan B project will "turn things around." If it does, he will be most thankful.
"Tough - are you kidding?! This is like bare foot skiing The Sahara"
Garry Gosatti
Everyone remembers Garry for his exploits as a part time motor racing ace throughout the 1990's. Not much has changed actually. Also well loved as a founding member of the Margaret River supergroup "iL Fiasco" comprising of a bunch of unknown wine industry identities. Wine has always played an important part in Garry's life and fluid levels. Garry is also known for his Arlewood Estate wines that are very nice to drink; for that we are all thankful.
