Thomas Rivers Brown is one of Napa Valley’s most quietly influential figures, as a self taught winemaker whose work has helped define a modern era of Napa Valley. Focused and deeply intuitive, Brown has been known for his ability to translate a vineyard’s innate character into wines with clarity and an unmistakable sense of place.
Humble Beginnings
Brown originally hales from Sumter, South Carolina, a small town 2,726 miles away from Napa Valley. Wine only first entered Brown’s young purview while he was a student of economics and literature at the University of Virginia, when the father of a girlfriend shared a bottle of 1992 Kistler from his wine collection. This simple act was a catalyst for Brown’s lifelong infatuation with wine. After graduation, his car was packed and the future wine whisperer had started his journey towards the hub of American Wine: Napa Valley.
A Winemaker is Born
After arriving in Napa, Brown started working a wine shop in Calistoga, taking note of the magic of the wine industry with every bottle opened. Ehren Jordan, a manager at Turley, noticed Brown and took note of his seemingly effortless focus, and was soon hiring Brown at his respective winery. And then the levee broke.
After making iconic vintages at Turley, Brown began consulting and making wines for beloved brands like Schrader, TOR, Far Niente, and more. What made Thomas Rivers Brown different from the winemakers born and raised in Napa? His intuition. Not inhibited by any particularities or history that may have been instilled in the wine industry natives he was working beside, Brown was able to listen to his own abilities to read a vineyard, thus creating wines that truly let the vineyard speak, rather than the winemaker. And with access to the To Kalon Vineyards, Brown was more than happy to let these storied vines sing.
Brown continued consulting and making wines for producers all over the Valley, juggling many extraordinary labels at a time. Somehow, the highly sought after winemaker took new a new client: Himself. Finding a business partner in his life partner Genevieve Marie Welsh, the winemaking duo created Rivers-Marie, a blend of not only their middle names, but their wine intuition.
A Household Name In Napa Valley
To say Thomas Rivers Brown is a defining name in the Napa Valley is an understatement of major proportions. An extraordinary winemaker with a passion for creating a sense of place in his wines, Brown transformed so many already iconic names into Classic Blue Chip and Cult Classics. His hand has also guided many wines to 100 point scores, cementing his name as one of the all time greats. For collectors and Napa enthusiasts alike, Brown’s wines represents more than acclaim, they capture the vision of a winemaker whose legacy continues to shape the valley’s most sought-after wines.
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