Following our visit to Tamar Ridge in Tasmania late last year, where site, climate and craftsmanship were front and centre, Drinks Trade continues its exploration of premium Australian wine through the lens of the people shaping it.
In this interview, we speak with Julien Marteau, General Manager – Luxury Brands Portfolio at Brown Family Wine Group, whose remit spans some of Australia’s most respected fine-wine names. From Tasmania to the mainland, these brands sit at the intersection of provenance, precision and long-term brand building,an increasingly important space as premiumisation continues to define both domestic and export markets.
Marteau offers insight into how Brown Family Wine Group approaches luxury wine in a modern context: balancing heritage with innovation, regional authenticity with global relevance, and winemaking intent with commercial reality. Building on the themes that emerged during our Tamar Ridge visit; cool-climate expression, site specificity and disciplined growth, this conversation looks at how those principles translate across a broader luxury portfolio, and what they mean for trade partners navigating a premium-led future.
Ash Pini: As a professional with extensive experience in the Australian wine trade, how have you found the Tamar Ridge and Pirie wines, and what is your role with them?
Julien Marteau: I’m extremely impressed by the pedigree of Tamar Ridge and Pirie. They are hidden gems from Tasmania, showcasing the elegance, purity, and finesse that define the region. While not yet widely known, they represent some of Australia’s finest cool-climate wines.
As General Manager, Sales & Marketing, Luxury Wines at Brown Family Wine Group, it is my privilege to make these wines more widely known and desirable. My role is to drive domestic and global expansion, build their status as true luxury wines, collaborate with our winemakers to maintain uncompromising quality, and work with our cellar door teams to promote the Tamar Valley’s unique terroir.
AP: How has the new partnership with Oatley Fine Wine Merchants changed how Brown Family Wine Group presents these wines, and what opportunities does this offer the trade?
JM: The partnership is opening new doors for Tamar Ridge and Pirie, bringing them to more fine-dining tables, curated wine lists, premium retailers, high-end bars, and passionate wine enthusiasts across Australia.
Pinot Noir is the most listed varietal on Australian on-premise wine lists, with Tasmania as the most listed Pinot region (Wine Business Solutions 2025). As drinkers increasingly embrace cool-climate, lighter-style wines, Tamar Ridge Pinot Noir, from Estate to single-block expressions, offers excellent opportunities for venues to feature something distinctive while driving good returns.
We’ve also launched a Tamar Valley Chardonnay and Riesling from the 2024 vintage, adding unique points of difference.
On sparkling wines, as an ex-Champenois, I can confidently say Tasmanian méthode traditionnelle sparklings now rival top Champagne houses. Tamar Valley’s cool nights, moderate days, maritime influence, and long, gentle growing season allow slow ripening and deeper flavour development. Pirie’s Kayena vineyard, surrounded by three arms of the Tamar River, benefits from natural temperature moderation, resulting in world-class sparkling wines that offer both quality and a more accessible alternative to Champagne.
AP: Why should restaurants, and sommeliers in particular, consider Tamar Ridge and Pirie sparklings for their wine lists? What makes them unique?
JM: Both brands deliver exceptional quality at strategic price points.
At Tamar Ridge, we aspire to be the “masters of Tasmanian Pinot Noir.” Our viticulture team works with multiple clones, while winemaker Tom Wallace crafts many expressions to showcase site individuality and the precision of cool-climate winemaking from Kayena and Rosevears vineyards. A Tasmanian Pinot by the glass is now a must-have on premium wine lists, with Tamar Ridge available from $24 LUC to $110 LUC.
Pirie is defined by purity of fruit and a Chardonnay-dominant style, with extended lees ageing for precision and finesse. Pirie’s wines have earned multiple gold medals and trophies, including recognition for the Vintage 2020 and the Millésime Prestige Blanc de Blancs 2022. Tasmanian sparkling is highly sought after, and Pirie offers excellent options from the NV range ($27 LUC) through to late-disgorged bottlings ($90 LUC).
AP: How can venues range these wines?
JM: Best thing to do is contact your local Oatley Fine Wine Merchants sales representative to arrange a tasting.
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