A Family Legacy: From Walnut Orchard to Pioneering Winery
In 1980, Bassett and Marcela Brown, two doctors from Southern California, embarked on a journey that would forever change the landscape of Napa Valley’s wine industry.
What began as a search for a summer home in the idyllic region soon transformed into a pioneering venture as the couple acquired an abandoned walnut orchard, unknowingly laying the foundation for the first Black-owned winery in Napa.
“They didn’t have any preconceived ideas about what they were going to do out here,” said their daughter Deneen Brown, the president of the family’s winemaking business. “They just fell in love with the place.”
Reviving a Historic Property: The Birth of Brown Estate Vineyards
The Browns breathed new life into the crumbling Victorian home and the surrounding land, meticulously restoring the 1859 stone and redwood barn. Their labor of love earned them an award from the Napa County Historical Society for their preservation efforts.
It was through conversations with neighboring grape farmers that the seeds of a winemaking dream were planted, leading the couple to establish a vineyard on their property.
“It was only after meeting and talking with neighboring grape farmers that they started thinking about planting a vineyard,” Deneen Brown recalled.
A Family Affair: Siblings Taking the Reins
In 1995, Deneen, David, and Coral Brown, the children of Bassett and Marcela, took over the vineyard operations, initially intending to continue selling their grapes to established winemakers. However, the exceptional quality of their fruit sparked a realization – they should bottle and sell their own wine.
“We literally had a ‘we-should-bottle-it-and-sell-it-ourselves’ moment,” Deneen Brown shared.
Rising from the Ashes: A Pivotal Moment
Just as the family’s winemaking venture was taking off, disaster struck in the form of a warehouse fire in 2000, nearly destroying their entire product debut.
However, a glowing review from renowned wine critic Robert M. Parker Jr. created a surge of enthusiasm for the Brown Estate Zinfandel, allowing the winery to rise like a “veritable phoenix from the ashes.”
A Trailblazing Success Story
Today, Brown Estate Vineyards stands as a testament to the family’s perseverance and dedication. From their flagship Napa Valley Zinfandel to their cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, and red blends, the winery has garnered praise and recognition, including a 91-point score from Wine Spectator for their 1997 Zinfandel.
“We produce a lot more wine now than we did when we started,” Deneen Brown said, reflecting on the winery’s growth and expansion.
