Some avid wine lovers may still remember the classic Seabrook wine label from the 70’s, championed by Tom, Doug and Iain Seabrook of Seabrook Wine Merchants on Lonsdale Street, Melbourne. The Seabrook Family have been part of the Australian wine business since 1878, starting one of the country’s most respected wine companies W.J Seabrook & Son. In 2005, fifth generation Hamish Seabrook revitalised the old 1878 label as a tribute to his family lineage in the wine industry. His debut wine a single vineyard Shiraz from the Pyrenees region of Victoria was where it all began. Today Seabrook Wines has a portfolio of 7 wines and is proud to be recognised as a 5 Star Halliday Winery for the last 6 years running.
It is of no surprise that Hamish found himself in the wine Industry. First Generation William. J. Seabrook was a pioneer of the Australian Wine industry. He was one of Australia’s earliest wine merchants and was a wine judge at the inaugural Royal Melbourne Wine Show in 1888. His son, Thomas. C. Seabrook, followed his father and was recognised as an acclaimed judge and renowned for his excellent palate and acerbic wit. T.C.’s son, Doug Seabrook, continued in the family wine business and was chairman of judges at the RMWS (Royal Melbourne Wine Show) for more than 30 years. Doug (Hamish’s late grandfather) was a passionate wine man who willingly gave his time and energy to encourage interest in wine, particularly young people. Iain Seabrook, Doug’s son, took the family baton and judged at Melbourne for several years, ran a successful wine broker company and was extremely proud to see his son, Hamish, awarded Dux of the 2004 Len Evans Tutorial and then appointed as judge at the 2005 Royal Melbourne Wine Show as well as many other wine shows.
Hamish, now based in the Barossa Valley has also worked as Senior Winemaker at Brown Brothers, Milawa; Bests, Great Western; Dorrien Estate, Barossa Valley and currently at Kirrihill; Clare Valley.
Hamish carries on a family tradition with deep roots in the Australian wine industry which he hopes will carry on for generations to come with its home in the Barossa. The philosophy of Seabrook Wines today is true to its roots – to source top quality grapes from the best regions of Australia as W.J. and Tom did decades ago.
Since 2005, the Seabrook range has expanded slowly with each label paying homage to a generation of the Seabrook Wine Industry lineage. “The Merchant” Barossa Valley Shiraz (named after grandfather Douglas Seabrook), “The Chairman” Great Western Shiraz (named after Great Grand Father TC Seabrook), “The Broker” Yarra Valley Pinot Noir (named after father Iain Seabrook), and “The Judge” Eden Valley Riesling (named after Hamish’s wife’s grandfather John Marshall). Each wine has a story to tell that connects the past, the present and the future.
