The Wine Dogs Story
Wine Dogs is the definitive guide to dogs living and working in the vineyard, winery and tasting rooms of wineries around the globe.
Established in 1997, Wine Dogs is the original documenter of the winemaker’s best friend – their faithful hound, the winery dog. The first Australian Wine Dogs book was published in 2003 and quickly became a best seller. There have now been seventeen Wine Dogs editions published, including the latest Wine Dogs Australia 5, Wine Dogs California 3 and Wine Dogs Oregon books. We also have a host of other books and products such as Brew Dogs, Wine Cats, Footy Dogs and our very popular Wine Dogs Calendars.
The winedogs.com website provides an easy and enjoyable way to check out the Wine Dogs dogalogue of products, and our online store is state-of-the-art and offers secure ordering.
The Wine Dogs Creators
SUSAN ELLIOTT
PUBLISHER, AUTHOR, CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Favourite food: Noodles
Favourite pastime: Wearing pyjamas
Naughtiest deed: Teasing huskies
Obsessions: Baths and football mullets of the ‘80s
Known accomplices: Ron the feisty cichlid
Pet peeve: Whistling
Susan is a multi-skilled artist with a background in fine art, illustration and printmaking. After studying psychology, Sue changed to a career in art. She graduated from The City Art Institute with a degree in drawing, printmaking and painting. After living abroad, Sue returned to Australia and exhibited her graphic art and screenprints extensively around Sydney, while also working in a number of small design studios. She is an award-winning graphic designer with over 25 years of experience in the industry. Sue joined McGill Design Group in 1999 as co-owner and Creative Director. She is also co-founder and principal of the Giant Dog publishing house, which is responsible for producing a number of best-selling books, including the Wine Dogs titles. She has also designed Wine Dogs stamps for Australia Post. Sue’s knowledge of dogs is unparalleled, and in the past she has also found time to be a Siberian Husky breeder. Although currently dogless, Sue loves to spend time with the many wine and brew dogs she meets from around the world as well as a feisty cichlid named Ron Severum.
CRAIG McGILL
PUBLISHER, AUTHOR, PHOTOGRAPHER
Date of birth: Dead in dog years
Favourite food: Roast duck and pinot noir
Favourite pastime: Ventriloquism and being a big kid
Naughtiest deed: Chasing huskies while stark naked
Obsessions: Beer, wine and collecting useless things
Known accomplices: The voices in my head
Pet peeve: Unoriginal ideas
Craig is a self-taught designer, illustrator and photographer who started his own design business in Melbourne at 18 years of age. Early in his career he was appointed as a design consultant to The Reserve Bank of Australia. His designs and illustrations have graced banknotes throughout the world, including the Australian bicentenary ten-dollar note. His work appears on the original Australian $100 note, Papua New Guinea Kina, Cook Island Dollars and English Pound traveller’s cheques. Craig was also involved in the design and illustration of many countries’ security documents such as Passports, Bonds and Traveller’s Cheques. At the age of 23 he designed the entire series of the Cook Island banknotes and it is believed that he was the world’s youngest designer to design a country’s complete currency. His illustrations are regularly commissioned by agencies and designers both in Australia and around the world, and also appear on dozens of wine labels. Widely known as Australia’s only freelance currency designer, Craig has also designed and illustrated eleven stamps for Australia Post. Craig is co-founder and principal of the Giant Dog publishing house and is the sole photographer for all publications. Having grown up with a succession of beagles and huskies, Craig is currently road-testing several hundred dog breeds from wineries around the world.
GIANT DOG PUBLISHING
Giant Dog is a niche independent publishing house specialising in producing benchmark quality design and art books. Recent publications include Wine Dogs California 3, Wine Dogs Australia 5, Wine Dogs Oregon and Brew Dogs.