In the latest episode of The Drinking Hour, David Kermode is joined by Katherine, Emma and Angela Brown of Australia’s Brown Brothers to chat all things family business, and the impact that the estate has had on winemaking down under.
First established in the 1880s during the height of Australia’s Gold Rush, Brown Brothers have built a reputation for experimentation, harnessing over four generations of winemaking expertise to consistently move forward.
Since women stand at the helm, the group discuss the company’s name and how they have previously toyed with the idea of something new, before delving into the unlimited opportunities that Australia’s ‘New World’ status gives them. Whilst the ‘New World’ and ‘Old World’ terms appear outdated, the group explain how this has benefited winemaking in Victoria, allowing the estate to play with offbeat grape varietals, which has proved especially important as they discover which grapes fare better against an ever-changing climate.
Harnessing their experimentative spirit, the Brown sisters tell Kermode about the Kindergarten Winery, established in 1989 to mark 100 years of Brown Brothers. It’s within this winery that Browns’ winemakers are encouraged to ‘make mistakes’, and where the cultivation of varietals such as Siena, Tarrango and Moscato first take shape.
All of this and more is discussed in detail in the latest episode of The Drinking Hour, available now.
Discover more episodes of The Drinking Hour with David Kermode here
