MARTINBOROUGH'S WILLIE R.I.P.

 Richard wrote a nice post today mentioning Willie Brown who we worked with at Murray Robert's Wines and Spirits in the 1970s. Robert was there too although the company title had nothing to do with him.

After that I met up again with Willie in the 1980s in Auckland where we were both still in the wine industry - Willie operating a wine distribution business named Brown and Garvie and me managing a specialist wholesale wine and spirit business named Quill & Company not unlike what Murray Roberts was in its day. I used to buy wine from and sell wine to Willie before he closed down the business and went to Martinborough to grow grapes and follow his dream to make Burgundy (pinot noir).

In the 1990s Geoff and I (Geoff also knew Willie from Murray Robert's days) got involved in a vineyard operation in Martinborough and frequently caught up with Willie at his little winery and vineyard named Muirlean Rise. We used to visit and drink wine with Willie up until Willie died.

Muirlea Rise.

Geoff sent me a photograph of Willie recently that he'd found in an old NZ wine magazine. It has Alan Layton in it as well (Alan used to work at Murray Robert's as well).

Willie in bottom left panel, Alan at right in main photo sporting his famous wig.

I should have visited Shawn when we were in Martinborough in 2020 but had caught up with him over the years when we used to go to the Martinborough Festivals.