Tuesday 8th June 1999,

22 years ago today, I had a most memorable wine tasting and lunch at Hartwell House and Spa, near Aylesbury, hosted by Brown Brothers .

I was invited by Stevens Garnier, the wine merchants at Botley, Oxford, whose local representative was the charming and knowledgeable Richard Wallace-Jones.

The range of Brown Brothers wines, the presentation of their wines, the chance to discuss wine was, for me, unprecedented.

Most of the guests were wine merchants or college bursars with an interest in their wine cellar.

I was one of two of three publicans.

After tasting and spitting we enjoyed a magnificent meal and I had the privilege of sitting next to Mr. Ross Brown, one of the brothers!!

It was utterly fascinating to sit and learn so much, first hand, from Mr. Brown and I recall part of the conversation turning to what I believed were the hallmarks of a good ‘pub’ wine as opposed to those one would enjoy in say a restaurant with fine cuisine.
Our conversation moved naturally into simple and complex wines and after a few minutes of discussion, Mr Brown stood up and said to me, ‘complex wines can be as enjoyable as simple wines’.
With this he zipped of towards the Hartwell House kitchens and disappeared inside.
A few moments later he reappeared carrying two chilled half bottles of a Brown Brothers dessert wine, one we shared and one he gifted to me, I had never drunk such a fabulously intriguing wine. Mr. Brown educated me in the preparation of the vines, the noble rot and how the accountants hated such wine, as to pick the grapes at the correct moment had a slight ‘hit and miss’ element to it, that might have some financial repercussion.

One other element of the conversation I readily remember was about blending grapes. Brown Brothers had successfully blended various grape varieties over the centuries but were always looking for new ideas, blends etc.. Their latest idea was to blend grapes of the SAME variety, a single grape wine, BUT they would grow some of the grapes at sea level and some of the grapes at very high altitudes, which would give a subtle new taste to a well known single grape wine.

So the lunch continued, full of fascinating conversation delivered with a relaxed ease and confidence that all of us would enjoy.

I have one more memory, of which I might be a little confused. IF my memory serves me, Mr. Ross Brown, with whom I’m lunching, was one of three brothers, possibly the youngest. His father had decided that the eldest son would be the Vintner, his second son would be the businessman/CEO and the third son, Ross, would run the marketing.

The return journey to Oxford in the coach provided by Stevens Garnier was a joyful trip of mirth and humour. Not all the guests made it back to central Oxford because when we were about to pass the Rose and Crown on the way back into Oxford, many fellow diners felt that the tastings should continue within and they did, in continued mirth and humour, but sadly without Mr. Ross Brown, who had to prepare the same tasting again the following day in the north of England.

I have these memories of a amazing time from 22 years ago, today! What a day!

I think Mr. Ross Brown, who ‘would run the marketing’ did a particularly splendid job, would you not agree.

Thank you.