The Hickinbothams have been proud contributors to the Australian wine industry for over 87 years and over four generations. In 1936, Alan Robb (“Hick”) Hickinbotham helped establish the highly respected winemaking course at Roseworthy Agricultural College in South Australia where he taught young, upcoming winemakers and subsequent industry leaders and is now regarded as the father of Australian professional winemaking education.
David's father, Alan and David Hickinbotham began growing grapes in 1971 in South Australia. They established the Paringa brand in 1999. The name “Paringa” reflects a partnership with nature; it derives from the local Aboriginal language for “place at the river”. Farming one of the driest continents on earth, water and rivers have always been a major player in the vineyards. The River Murray is to Australia what the Mississippi is to America, and the Rhine is to Europe. They went on to establish the 3 Rings brand in 2004 to showcase Shiraz and the Barossa Valley.
The current custodians of the family’s wine heritage are father and son, David and Alan with the support of Alan’s wife Louise and son Leo. David, Hick’s grandson, has looked after the winemaking and management from the onset, and Alan Robb (great-grandson of his namesake and David’s son) looks after all the production, grape growing and buying and manages sales and marketing. Dena, David’s late wife and Alan’s mother, played an integral role in the winery’s foundation and is greatly missed.
Their state, South Australia, is the historic heart of Australian wine and home to some of the most famous regions and the oldest vines in the country.
