The contribution made by Jim Brayne, McWilliam’s chief winemaker, to the New South Wales wine industry was recently recognised with the presentation of the 2004 Graham Gregory Trophy by the NSW Department of Agriculture after this year’s Royal Sydney Wine Show. Brayne, whose efforts in rejuvenating the winemaking of this traditional family-owned business have been exceptional, is also a tireless contributor to education in Griffith. He has been chairman of the Riverina TAFE Board College and presently chairs both the Riverina Institute Council and the $3.2 million Food and Wine Technology Centre. There are few finer gentlemen in Australian wine than Jim Brayne, who joined the company in 1973 as a cellar hand. Thirteen years later, he was chief winemaker. In my view, his work with the Brand’s (Coonawarra) and Barwang labels have produced his finest wines. Brayne is now relishing the opportunity to make top-class Yarra Valley wines from selected parcels of Lillydale fruit.
