Meet Luise Fowles from Fowles Wine in Victoria

About Luise Fowles

Appearances can be deceiving. Luise Fowles, the woman behind the design elements of Fowles Wine may seem like the quiet type, but her introverted nature hides a steely reserve and a drive that is integral to the success of this family-run business.

She’s half of the husband-and-wife duo who owns and runs Fowles Wine in the Strathbogie Ranges. Having already established an illustrious career in graphic design, Luise was the obvious choice to head up the visual side of the business when she and husband Matt, a former lawyer, took over. Her clever label designs bring to life the flavour and fragrance of the wines and country vineyard.

While not a winemaker herself, she is intrigued by the process, getting her hands dirty out in the vineyards and taking in the full experience to ensure that the images on the bottles deliver the story of life on the land.

Luise’s story

Luise Fowles was born in Canberra, but at age two began her life as a young traveller when her father, who through his work with Austrade, was posted to Seoul in South Korea.

Luise remembers certain things about life in Seoul – having to run inside regularly when the air- raid sirens rang and the feeling of tear gas in the air used to settle the protests of students at the university, located near her kindergarten. Following their time in Seoul, Luise’s family spent time in Austria and Germany before finally landing back in Australia when she was 12 years old.

Fast forward to 2006, when the opportunity for a ‘tree change’ with the winery came up, Matt and Luise jumped at the chance to move to the country. The feeling of space, the views and the forever changing sunrises and sunsets are just the beginning of what makes country living so special for Luise. The front lawn overlooking the dam and the valley below, filled with birds and sheep, offers the perfect spot to practice yoga in the morning. Plus, the style of living they are providing for their three daughters (aged 8, 2 and 1), who are constantly outdoors and among the wildlife is valued beyond measure.

Luise’s professional background is in the creative industry, having completed her Bachelor of Arts in Creative Advertising at RMIT and continuing to work in the industry following her studies. When moving to the vineyard, Luise naturally took on the visual side of the business and now designs the wine labels. She and Matt are probably in the minority of husband and wife teams in that they work remarkably well together – Matt creates the concepts and names and Luise brings them to life with imagery.

A favourite among the range would be the Ladies who Shoot their Lunch label. Taking inspiration from a magazine article Matt saw, titled “Ladies who shoot”, the idea sparked to relate it back to food and wine to be able to be consumed with wild shot game. Their combined love of the Art Deco era and how that element juxtaposed a well-dressed lady going out to shoot her own lunch came together perfectly to create the labels as they are seen today.