Australian Biography Series - Max Lake (Study Guide)

SYNOPSIS

Dr Max Lake has achieved success in three distinctly different fields — as a surgeon, winegrower and author—although he is probably best known as one of the pioneers of the Australian wine boom. Born in the United States in 1924, he studied medicine at Sydney University and was the first Australian to specialise in hand surgery. Then, in 1963 in the Hunter Valley of NSW, he established Lake’s Folly, one of Australia’s first and most prestigious boutique wineries. And in 1966, he made his name with a benchmark book, Classic Wines of Australia. As his surgical career came to an end, he leapt wholeheartedly into the world of wine and food, as a member of the Food Standards Committee and a renowned international judge. Applying his medical background to the science of flavour and smell, he also became an obsessive student of the senses. His influential writing and research includes the books Scents and Sensuality and Food on the Plate, Wine in the Glass. In this Australian Biography interview, Max talks with gusto about life’s pleasures and his passionate pursuit of them.

CURRICULUM LINKS

This program will have interest and relevance for teachers and students at secondary and tertiary levels. Curriculum links include Science, Geography, Technology, Business Studies, Society and Environment, English and Careers Education.