Aunty’s tipple a ripper

The reputation of Brown Brothers is continually baffling. Why is it that a winery

that is as innovative as any in the country, makes an enormous array of seriously

interesting wines and has worked with more varieties than possibly any other winery in

the world, should have an image of the staid, conservative producer, more likely to be

favoured by one's great aunt than embraced by young wine lovers?

In part, this comes from the ubiquitous Crouchen wines that have been so successful

for the family. It seems that the more snobby wine drinkers don't want to be seen enjoying

what they perceive to be a third-rate variety, no matter how well it is made. If that really is

a problem for you, balance it against the excellent Patricia range, the family's flagship.

In reality, of course, Brown Brothers, is many different things to drinkers. With origins

dating back to the 1850s, it has firmly established itself as the key winery in the

King Valley region. The first Brown came seeking gold but the family has mined a

different form of wealth over the years. They have one of the most popular cellar

doors in Australia and place a firm emphasis on the matching of food and wine. The cellar

door is important for more than just sales. It acts as a litmus test for the many new

varieties that the family is always trialling. If it doesn't gain a favourable response there,

then it will be withdrawn.

As well as the main operation, they have established what they call the kindergarten

winery, where they will have about 50 batches of wines on trial at any one time. It

means they can have a large range of experiments going on throughout the year.

Lovers of the popular Crouchen will be delighted to know that the range is to be

expanded. Once known here as Clare Riesling, it originated in France but is long gone from

there. It is more popular in South Africa than here and usually makes a rather bland,

underwhelming style. Browns leave in some residual sweetness and it makes for a wine

that is a delight to drink, but not one for deep thought.

Their 2008 Crouchen Riesling is so well balanced and clean on the finish that it

appears to be far less sweet than it actually is. New to the range is the 2009 Crouchen

Sauvignon Blanc, more herbal and broader, and a 2009 Crouchen Riesling with a touch of cienna,

creating a rose style. It offered some red berry notes and was, as they say, a little

fruity. All retail for about $12.

The new Prosecco 2008 ($19), an Italian white variety usually made as a gentle

sparkler, will surely be a hit. Nicely packaged, it offers green apple, rose petal, jasmine and

pear notes. Made by the charmat method, it is targeting the aperitif market.

Anyone visiting the cellar door must sample the Extended Lees Pinot Noir

Chardonnay NV, a wonderfully complex, creamy, intense fizz, based on the 1994

vintage. Sparkling wines are a strong suit of Browns and they would have won many more

gongs if they had not been pipped so often by the wines of Ed Carr from Constellation.

Other wines to chase include the evocative Heathcote Shiraz 2006 ($30); the finely

structured Patricia Cabernet 2004 ($56); the big, bold Limited Release Durif 2006 ($20);

Shiraz Mondeuse 2005 ($20) which is a house specialty and if ever one wanted a wine for

the cellar, this must be it - we tried an old bottle from 1961 and it was in glorious

condition; and the delightful 2006 Nero d'Avola, made from grapes grown in Sicily.

Anyone who still labours under the misapprehension that Brown Brothers is a

dreary old-fashioned producer needs to have a serious re-think. This is one of our more exciting wineries.