Brown Brothers
Patricia — Brown Brothers' flagship range named after family matriarch Patricia Brown, representing the pinnacle of the family's viticulture and winemaking since 2003
About
Regions
King ValleyYarra ValleyTasmaniaMurray DarlingSouth Eastern Australia
The Range
History
1885 — John Francis Brown plants 10 acres of vines in Milawa, Victoria, predominantly Riesling, Muscat and Shiraz.
1889 — The first vintage is produced in the Old Barn at Milawa. Brown Brothers is established.
1933 — Second-generation John Charles Brown joins his father at the winery. Brown Brothers begins exporting to London.
1958 — Third-generation John Graham Brown joins as winemaker. Australia's first commercial vintage of Botrytis Riesling is made at Milawa.
1962 — Refrigeration is installed at Milawa — a first for North East Victorian wineries.
1968 — A severe frost destroys the vintage. The Mystic Park vineyard is purchased as a frost-free alternative. The third generation — John, Peter, Ross and Roger Brown — begin working in the business.
1989 — Brown Brothers celebrates 100 years of winemaking and establishes the Kindergarten Winery for experimental small-batch production.
1996 — The fourth generation joins the business. Brown Brothers becomes the first Australian wine company to launch Moscato in the domestic market.
2003 — The Patricia range is launched, named after family matriarch Patricia Brown, representing the pinnacle of Brown Brothers winemaking.
2009 — Brown Brothers becomes a founding member of Australia's First Families of Wine (AFFW).
2010 — Brown Brothers launches its first Prosecco, made from grapes grown in the Banksdale Vineyard in the King Valley.
2015 — Katherine Brown (4th generation) joins the winemaking team as the first female winemaker in the family.
2020 — Winemaker Cate Looney wins Female Winemaker of the Year.
2023 — Brown Brothers Restaurant is awarded a Chef's Hat in the Age's Good Food Guide.
1889 — The first vintage is produced in the Old Barn at Milawa. Brown Brothers is established.
1933 — Second-generation John Charles Brown joins his father at the winery. Brown Brothers begins exporting to London.
1958 — Third-generation John Graham Brown joins as winemaker. Australia's first commercial vintage of Botrytis Riesling is made at Milawa.
1962 — Refrigeration is installed at Milawa — a first for North East Victorian wineries.
1968 — A severe frost destroys the vintage. The Mystic Park vineyard is purchased as a frost-free alternative. The third generation — John, Peter, Ross and Roger Brown — begin working in the business.
1989 — Brown Brothers celebrates 100 years of winemaking and establishes the Kindergarten Winery for experimental small-batch production.
1996 — The fourth generation joins the business. Brown Brothers becomes the first Australian wine company to launch Moscato in the domestic market.
2003 — The Patricia range is launched, named after family matriarch Patricia Brown, representing the pinnacle of Brown Brothers winemaking.
2009 — Brown Brothers becomes a founding member of Australia's First Families of Wine (AFFW).
2010 — Brown Brothers launches its first Prosecco, made from grapes grown in the Banksdale Vineyard in the King Valley.
2015 — Katherine Brown (4th generation) joins the winemaking team as the first female winemaker in the family.
2020 — Winemaker Cate Looney wins Female Winemaker of the Year.
2023 — Brown Brothers Restaurant is awarded a Chef's Hat in the Age's Good Food Guide.
Philosophy
Brown Brothers has been handcrafting wine adventures since 1889, guided by a pioneering spirit that has driven four generations of family winemaking. Rooted in Milawa in Victoria's King Valley, the family's philosophy centres on innovation without compromise — introducing new varieties, exploring new regions and pushing the boundaries of what Australian wine can be, while remaining committed to quality, family values and the belief that great wine is made in the vineyard.
Winemaking
Brown Brothers' winemaking philosophy is built on innovation, experimentation and a deep respect for variety and place. The Kindergarten Winery, established in 1989, sits at the heart of this approach — a dedicated small-batch facility where new varieties, new techniques and new styles are trialled before any commercial decision is made. It is where Cienna was developed, where the Zero range was refined, and where the next generation of Brown Brothers wines begins.
Across the portfolio, winemaking is guided by the belief that great wine starts in the vineyard. The family manages vine age, canopy and yield carefully across its King Valley, Heathcote and Tasmanian estates to ensure fruit quality drives the final wine rather than winemaking intervention.
For the Prosecco range, the focus is on preserving the natural aromatics of the Glera variety — fresh green apple, pear and citrus — through cool fermentation and early bottling to retain freshness and fine bubbles. The King Valley's alpine-influenced climate is ideally suited to this style, producing fruit with natural acidity and aromatic precision.
For the Moscato range, gentle handling and low-temperature fermentation preserve the delicate floral and fruit aromatics that define the style. Residual sweetness is carefully balanced against natural acidity to avoid cloying weight.
For the Patricia range, the approach shifts to restraint and site expression. Patricia Pinot Noir Chardonnay Brut is made using the traditional method — secondary fermentation in bottle, extended lees ageing, and hand riddling — producing a sparkling wine of genuine complexity and cellaring potential. Patricia Chardonnay from Tasmania is made with minimal intervention to allow the cool-climate fruit to speak clearly.
The Zero range represents a separate technical challenge — producing non-alcoholic and low-alcohol wines that retain the character, texture and flavour of their full-strength counterparts. Brown Brothers uses gentle dealcoholisation techniques to remove alcohol while preserving as much of the original wine's aromatic and structural integrity as possible.
Winemaker: Joel Tilbrook
Gallery
