Family Business
BROWN BROTHERS WINERY: THE FAMILY BUSINESS SHAPING INDUSTRY TRENDS
EXCLUSIVE BY SANDRA LOGIUDICE, READY MEDIA GROUP
CAROLINE BROWN, ROSS BROWN AND KATHERINE BROWN (left to right)
Just like a good wine, Brown Brother Wines continue to grow better with age.
This exclusive interview with 3rd and 4th generation winemakers Ross Brown and Katherine Brown, explores the heart, soul, and challenges of their winemaking business. It is a read for genuine appreciators of our land - those who value the rich, fertile soils that deliver the delicate fruits that farmers and artists nurture and transform into that pleasure we call wine; that special bottle that breaks down barriers through sharing and enjoyment, bringing families, friends, and business partners together. With roots stemming back to a family farm in the 1880’s that also raised sheep and cattle, today Brown Brothers, Milawa is known as one of Victoria’s most sophisticated and progressive wineries. Producing more than just your average Shiraz, they are now makers of over 60 wines from Tasmania, Swan Hill and of course the original estate in north-east Victoria. They also have a small R&D winery called the “kindergarten” located at their home in Milawa where different varieties and techniques are tried and tested. “You can’t have all your eggs in one basket with grapes because you’re subject to climate and weather, so you need to have diversity of growing” states Director, Ross Brown “That diversity has given us all sorts of interesting and exciting developments, and now we’re one of the largest growers in Tasmania as well as here in Victoria.” Still owned and run by the Brown family some 133 years and 4 generations later, together with an extended team of
the ‘best in class’, these winemakers are now pushing the boundaries of tradition, seeking out the new and different, but appealing to many. “Most of our competitors are still making Cabernet, Shiraz, or Chardonnay, but those three varieties represent less than 30% of Brown Brothers production. We are known to get quite restless and constantly innovate, so have a range of wines like Fiano, Cienna, Moscato and Prosecco that are quite different from the others. However, it’s our newly re- invented Tarrango that is about to have its day in the sunshine” Ross says with excitement. Tarrango is a light red wine, served chilled. Made from a new variety of grape derived from the Sultana and Touriga grape, it is light in palate weight, dry, but with great fruit flavours that make it an easy wine style to be served chilled. Originally discovered in the 1970’s by research scientist, Dr. Allan Antcliff, it was offered to the industry during a time when the CSIRO were undertaking government research into suitable grape varieties for Australian conditions and John Brown, winemaker of the 3rd generation Brown Brothers, picked up on the variety. Ross then successfully sold it both locally, and internationally in the UK market with great success in the 1990’s. But like most industries that reacted with global economics at the time, the high exchange rates for Australia saw the UK market eventually decline. The following years almost saw Tarrango lost, until
16 –Summer 2022/2023
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