If you’ve been keeping up with the 2025 Halliday Wine Companion Awards, unveiled earlier this month, you will know that the 2018 Brown Brothers Patricia Brut Pinot Noir Chardonnay was awarded Sparkling Wine of the Year. As Campbell Mattinson described, “Brown Brothers Patricia once again showed both its class and the quality that the upper reaches of the King Valley can produce when it comes to sparkling wine.” So who is the Patricia in the name of this award-winning wine? And how did Brown Brothers’ flagship range come to be?
Brown Brothers, founded in 1889 in Victoria, is one of the country’s most historic wineries. It was established by the Brown family, who were early adopters of new techniques and varietals and played a pivotal role in shaping Australia’s modern wine landscape. The Patricia range was launched in 2003 and is named in honour of Patricia Brown, the matriarch of the second generation of the winemaking family. It is their flagship range, and the Patricia wines are made from select vineyards.
“The Brown family have invested in making traditional sparkling wine for over three decades,” says Brown Brothers’ senior winemaker Cate Looney, “and over this time we have developed the style that the Patricia Brut has become.” Cate has first-hand knowledge of this evolution, having been part of the Brown Brothers team for 18 years. Her approach blends meticulous attention to detail with a creative flair, ensuring Brown Brothers’ diverse portfolio reflects the unique terroirs of their vineyards.
“The vineyard for the 2018 Patricia Brut Pinot Noir Chardonnay is located at one of the highest altitude vineyards in Victoria, at the top of the King Valley, which keeps the fruit cool in the ripening period," says Cate. This was crucial for the Sparkling Wine of the Year, as 2018 was a warmer vintage in Victoria. “Getting the grapes in early to maintain the high levels of acid we chase was a very important factor,” Cate commented.
The wine is made from nearly 80 per cent pinot noir, with chardonnay making up the other 20 per cent, which presents its own challenges, but also gives the wine its distinctive character. The pinot noir imparts a lovely richness and depth of flavour, while the chardonnay component keeps it lively and fresh over time in bottle. “We look at the percentages every year when we are putting the base wine together,” Cate says,” but surprisingly it comes out around the same amount of chardonnay going into the blend. The balance just works.”
Tasting Team member Jeni Port is inclined to agree. She awarded the wine 98 points and wrote: “Think of something to celebrate fast, because when you open this beauty of a sparkling, you'll feel like toasting something – anything!”
So, find something to celebrate (be that excellent wine) and get a taste of Brown Brothers' flagship Patricia range with the three wines below.
Find out more at brownfamilywines.com.au.
2018 Brown Brothers Patricia Pinot Noir Chardonnay
The nose is lifted with freshly baked bread, green apples and lemon zest. The palate is creamy and complex with prominent lemon and lime flavours and a bread-y nuance that lingers. It is fine and elegant with a crisp, dry finish and refreshing acidity.
H. What do you love about this wine?
CL: The 2018 vintage was considered a warm year but we source our fruit from the Whitland’s plateau where we are buffered from the hotter conditions and can retain exceptional acidity in our sparkling fruit.
Best enjoyed: Pairs well with smoked salmon and natural oysters.
RRP $60 | Drink to 2027 | Shop this wine
2022 Brown Brothers Patricia Chardonnay
The nose is complex with aromas of stone fruits, cashews, citrus and pear. The palate is elegant with mineral characters, struck match complexity and incredible length. It is a crisp wine with well balanced acidity, oak, and layers of intrigue. Fruit from the Tamar Valley.H. What do you love about this wine?
CL: The 2022 vintage was an exceptional year for chardonnay in the Tamar Valley. It's not often that we are so spoilt for choice when it comes to selecting the very best parcels for this wine.
Best enjoyed: Pair with wild trout with a butter sauce.
RRP $60 | Drink to 2033 | Shop this wine
2019 Brown Brothers Patricia Shiraz
Made using premium parcels of shiraz fruit sourced from three distinct Victorian vineyards, the 2019 vintage yields an aromatic masterpiece: generous notes of berry perfume blended with white pepper and spice.H. What do you love about this wine?
CL: The 2019 season was a “goldilocks” vintage – not too warm, not too cold, and just perfect for making premium shiraz.
Best enjoyed: Pair with crispy skinned duck breast served with kipfler potatoes.
RRP $70 | Drink to 2030 | Shop this wine
