By James Atkinson
Brown Brothers launched the 10th release of its Patricia range of wines on the weekend, occasioning wine industry legend James Halliday to share some of his most treasured memories from a long career working alongside the Brown family.
Halliday said the first time he visited Brown Brothers was in 1968.
"Two lawyers and I embarked on a wine odyssey around the eastern states. By the time we got to Adelaide, the car, which was a V8 Valiant, was already overflowing with boxes of wine, so we had to hire a trailer in Adelaide," Halliday joked.
"On the way back to Sydney one of the wineries we stopped at was Brown Brothers… I don't want to go over the top, but the Brown family from the eldest to the youngest… they are of the old school," he said.
"They are unfailingly courteous, they are unfailingly humble."
L-R: John Brown, James Halliday, Katherine & Ross Brown
The Patricia range of wines is dedicated to the Brown family matriarch, Patricia Brown, for the crucial role she played in the winery's history over a period of more than 60 years.
"To truly honour Patricia's hard work and dedication, the wines have been cared for and nurtured from the vineyard to the bottle with total commitment to the wine and this is reflected in the viticulture and winemaking techniques," Brown Brothers said.
For this year's launch the 2009 Chardonnay and 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon were released yesterday, March 17, the day Patricia celebrated her birthday.
Saturday's launch event at Brown Brothers in Milawa also included a ceremony to reopen the family cellar, which can now be visited by the public on tours from the cellar door.