Brown Family Wine Group is one of Australia’s leading family-owned Australian wine companies.
We’re a wine company with tradition, not a traditional wine company
After 130 years and four generations of Brown Brothers (and our many sisters), we may be steeped in history, but we stomp our grapes for tomorrow’s taste buds. We’re proud of our wine, of each other, of those who came before us. Since 1889 we’ve been here in the Milawa region of the King Valley – and that means we’ve seen a lot of harvest seasons. Savoured a few glasses. Discovered some delicious new varieties and thrown a few experiments out the window. Four generations of winemakers later, we still get excited by a new release glass of sparkling or an old savoured bottle from the family cellar. Or, that new favourite drop that we’re yet to create.
Making seriously delicious wines that we love to share
At Innocent Bystander we make wines that inspire and excite us, wines we love to drink and share. From delectable Pinot Noir to effervescent Moscato, starting every vintage with the finest grapes from our home in the Yarra Valley and beyond. Our winemaking team are a creative bunch, regularly exploring new varieties and winemaking approaches, but always seeking to draw out the unique character of each parcel of fruit that we pick. Our wines can be found across the globe, but if you want the full Innocent Bystander experience, then come by our home in Healesville, where our wine isn’t the centre of attention…you are.
Out here, on the East Coast of Tasmania where the environment is wild and unpredictable at times, we hold a special kind of adventurous spirit. We’ve also learned to be calm, rigorous, to brace ourselves against the uncertainty. We don’t fight the elements, instead, we have learned when to lean into them. When to hold up. And when to harness the weather to make some of the island’s best cool-climate wines. Because we reckon wine tastes better with both the wild and the tame. The wash of shallow water, and the snap of east coast sea breeze. And a team of humans who know just how to bring them together. The best of both worlds, that creates wine like nowhere else.
Producing Pirie is an art in itself. There’s meticulous planning and patience required, and even then it takes crossed fingers in the hope of the ideal conditions. With a little luck, we hand-pick the cool-climate grapes, produce a select number of bottles and then store them away for at least two years. The secret is not to rush things and to be particularly picky. But when it’s time to set it free, those bubbles are well worth the wait. You can ask the sparkling wine critics. Or, better still, try it for yourself – if you can get your hands on a bottle.
We’ve balanced the art of winemaking with the science of discovery, to master a nuanced and truly extraordinary grape variety. But it takes more than mere brain power and creative flare to succeed in making Pinot Noir – it takes obsession. Obsession with the soil at our feet, the grapes on our vines and the wonders and challenges that Tasmania’s cool climate brings. Obsession with our experimentation; always choosing ‘give it a go’ rather than ‘no’. Obsession with taste and texture, especially the silky soft ‘Tamar tannins’ that makes our Pinot Noir so special. And obsession with sharing stories, experiences and above all our premium cool-climate wines. This is what really fills our bottle.
